Attic24

Quietly Spring

Before I begin my witterings, can I just please say a humongous ((t h a n k   y o u)) to everyone who has left such kind and heartfelt comments on my last post, and across my social media channels as well. I am hugely grateful for your understanding, empathy and encouragement after a time of such uncertainty and wobbliness for me. I really do appreciate our communications back and forth, and I cannot imagine what kind of outlook my life would have without this window I have created and without you stopping by to check in on me. We are good for each other I think, mutual benefit and all that.

I wanted to tell you about the yarn basket in the above photo - this is actually a laundry basket which sits on the floor in my studio and takes care of the considerable amount of Stylecraft Special DK over-spill which doesn't fit on my shelves. I happened to be looking in the basket for a particular colour the other day, and noticed a really lovely accidental yarn palette that had made itself on the top of the pile.....

....what do you think? I pulled them out onto the floor and thought to myself how beautifully spring-like they look, like a sudden burst of warm sunlight and fresh air combined. Isn't colour so brilliant at evoking emotions and memories, I absolutely LOVE (love love love) playing with colour for this reason. I thought you might like to know the shades, something to ponder on if you're in the mood for a pretty, airy colour palette for a project..

Cloud Blue : Storm Blue : Sage : Pistachio : Mustard

Pomegranate : Blush : Pale Rose : Clematis : Stone (I think? That last one could possibly be Camel)

Life here in the Attic at the moment is really pretty good, considering the huge amount of ever shifting changes and adjustments that are taking place due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last week threw the Little People for a loop, in particular my two Teens who were both due to sit exams in a few months time (GCSEs for little Lady and A Levels for the boy Teen). Being told that exams will be cancelled created such a sudden rift in their lives, but more than that they were both left reeling from the abrupt end to their schooling.

My 17 year old walked in the door on Thursday afternoon, stood there in the kitchen in his school uniform, shrugged his shoulders and said "well, that's it......!" It suddenly hit home that there will be no more school for him now. That really is it - he has now left school behind. Of course, he is still doing some school work from home, completing final bits of course work and preparing for an interview this week, which is now taking place via Skype. But it all feels very unreal.

Little Lady took it all quite hard, realising very quickly that no exams also meant no end of year prom, no leavers celebrations, no get togethers with friends, no summer music festivals. She was so sad about it all, mourning the loss of this rite of passage, but she rallied around with her friends and they made their last day together full of photos and good memories.

As for Little B, well he is taking it all in stride. He was sent home from school on Friday with a work pack - lots of things to keep him busy across all subjects, as well as some enticing new work books (all those crisp empty pages!) and some freshly sharpened pencils. It is proving quite hard to get him to sit down and apply himself to the empty pages, but we are taking it gently, treating this week as an easing in period and not trying to enforce rules or timetables or anything.

Me, well I'm doing just fine being at home with my brood, it feels like one great big glorious long weekend at the moment (we are only on day 2 mind you). I've got the most beautiful orange tulips on my table this week and I feel so grateful that we are all together and safe, and that home time for us as a family is a bit chaotic but mostly very easy going. 

This is the tag that Little B made at school to tie around a pair of daffodil stems - a very thoughtful gift for Mothers Day which was much appreciated. In these times of worry and uncertainty, it's lovely to keep a hold of the little rituals and traditions which remind us where we are in the year. I only realised at the weekend that we are now officially in Spring (yaaayyyyyyy) as it was the Spring Equinox on Friday which completely passed me by. But the weather has certainly behaved itself and the past few days have been utterly glorious and perfectly springlike, I've been very impressed.

This morning  I made myself a coffee and took a blanket to sit on the steps which is a first for this year. Even the kitty ventured outdoors to sit with me, which was unexpected but rather comforting. Although normal life has been somewhat put on hold, it's still possible to sit a while and soak up the warmth and sunshine and be glad for the day to gently unfold.

Although I am really missing my sociable café times spent with friends, I am quite used to spending lengths of time in my own company. I am finding it harder to adjust to the sudden loss of freedom and it feels very strange not being able to head out to the shops or my studio. But I am taking comfort in the little things that bring me pleasure, and a quiet coffee in the sunshine is right up there on my pleasure list. 

My next door neighbour has this beautiful little cherry tree growing in his front garden and it's making me very happy to see it every day. The larger cherry trees in our neighbourhood won't be flowering for at least another month, so this is like a little sneak preview of what's to come. I absolutely love love love blossom season, it's such a joyful time of year and never fails to lift my spirits.

I managed a little bit of al fresco crochet this morning too, and it was utter bliss I have to say. Nothing relaxes me more than the soothing rhythm of hook and yarn, and the way it can gently calm a busy mind is nothing short of magic.Creativity is usually at the heart of my days, but never have I been more grateful for it. I am so so excited for spring to unfold too, and I am hopeful for many more days of outdoor hooky as we move through March and into April. Bring it on, I am beyond ready...come on, come on!!!! Springtime sunshine, I need you!!!!

In the UK we are now in lockdown, although at the moment we are permitted to head out once a day for some exercise. Here in my patch this will mainly involve strolling around the woodland close to home, and I am certainly not complaining. We went out this afternoon, all five of us. YES!! For the first time in years we had the boy Teen with us, and even though I managed to remain nonchalant and cool about it, my inner Mummy voice was screaming with delight. It was just so bloomin' lovely, all of it. The light and the warmth, the chatter and the peace. We passed maybe four or five other people out walking, and as you can see from the above photo, it's pretty easy to keep a safe distance from folks on these pathways.

Most of the trees are still bare and leafless, but there are plenty of buds showing if you stop and look for them. It thrills me to be on the cusp of the changing seasons, there is so much colour just waiting to burst forth. 

I am very thankful that we are still allowed to venture out as a family, at least for the time being. An hour out of the day to walk and breathe in the air and scenery feels like a life essential to me, and my heart goes out to all those who are in complete lockdown/isolation right now. 

I have to say, it's so lovely to be here, writing and sharing snippets of my days as we navigate this strange time in history. I hope that you are keeping safe and well, and I shall see you again very soon, I'm rather enjoying chattering to you!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

Brighter Times

We had a little snowfall at the very end of February, enough to create a very pretty view from the Attic, but a really hazardous walk to school. It was icy, slushy, wet and slippery, meaning that we skidded our way down the hill, slopped along the canal side and arrived with sopping wet feet and a very grumpy Little B. I really wish we had all worn wellies, but somehow I just didn't think it through in the rush to get out the door on time.

Once all the icy snow had melted down in town, things looked much brighter and I could fully appreciate the perfection of the wintry hills which surround this little rural town.

It's been extremely cold and windy here just lately, and although I can see the very first little signs of Spring here and there, it still feels a long way off. I'm hopeful that there will be no more snow though, especially now that we are in March and can pretend that Spring is imminent.

Yesterday I was on my own for much of the day, and on impulse I decided to wrap up warm and take a walk in the early afternoon. I desperately needed to breathe in some cold fresh air and clear my head. I was delighted to see not only blue skies up above but also some very early blossom looking beautifully dainty and pretty.

I climbed the steep hilly streets to enter the woodland along the top path and it was such a tonic. There is nothing better than striding out along a quiet woodland pathway, alone with my own thoughts for a while.

Blue skies feel like the biggest treat at this time of year when we are so often living under a blanket of grey cloud.

I stopped to say hello to the willow horse.....

....and swooned over the swathes of wild garlic beginning to cover the woodland banks. I keep telling myself Spring will arrive and I shall be so beyond ready for it when it finally gets here.

It was a tad muddy in the woods, and I was so thankful that in my spontaneous rush out of the door I had the good sense to yank on my short wellies. I gave myself a mental pat on the back at the precise point when the mud squelched right up over the top of my foot.

This is the little access road which leads out of the woods and back to the streets of the town. It's always blissfully quiet along here, and yesterday the dappled light and dancing shadows of the sunny afternoon made me so glad to be outdoors. 

Back at home and I had to smile as I caught sight of my sofa, strewn haphazardly with heaps of crochet and looking glorious. All my blankets are very well used and appreciated, the newest editions joining the older creations creating a rather jumbled but delightful sort of yarny nest effect. I think there are currently six blankets on this piece of furniture alone and I love the utter cosiness of it. 

I've been in my studio today, working on some design and colour palette ideas. I've got both crochet and stitching projects in the very early design stages right now and it's very exciting inside my Creative Mind, if a bit tangled. There's a lot going on up there!

Today I attempted to choose colour palettes for both threads and yarn, delighting in thinking about Spring/Summer designs and the colours that fit. The yarn I picked out is for a Spring garland that I want to make - I'm thinking cute little primrose type flowers.

And that huuuuuuge, delicious colour chart on my table is for DMC embroidery threads, and shows all 500 colours. Five Hundred! It is a thing of inspirational beauty, and has caused much swooning and stroking I can tell you. I had to pick out just eight shades (!) which was a major challenge - after a lot of umming and ahhing I managed to narrow it down to seventeen and I'll make my final selection when I have the actual skeins in my hand.

I have to tell you I'm so happy to be back in the Attic and have really appreciated your kindness in response to my last post - thank you so much. This past week in particular has been very challenging as I've faced some difficult decision making, but there are brighter times up ahead I'm sure of it.

Oh.......I've just remembered something else I've been meaning to share too......

....I'm going to be back at Black Sheep Wools in Warrington, Cheshire on Saturday and I'm so looking forward to it. Do you remember I was there last year? I had a fabulous time and can't wait to step back into the craft barn again. It would be lovely to see you if you can make it, I'll be there with with my yarny friends Christine and Emma and alllllllllll my blankets for a day full of crochet, colour and chatter.

BLACK SHEEP WOOLS : Saturday 7th March : 10-4

It'll be a fun, informal day and it's free to attend, more details about the location etc are on the Black Sheep Wools website >> ((here))

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair to Middling

Do you know the expression "fair to middling"? I don't know if it's a world wide saying, or if it's something specifically linked to Yorkshire, but it really tickles me. Often here in Yorkshire it's used to describe the weather, and it means not especially good, but not that bad either, so kind of average or mediocre. It perfectly describes how I generally feel about trudging through the depths of a long Winter season - it's not dreadful by any means, but it really is my least favourite time of year by a long chalk.

The past nine weeks of January and February combined have been difficult for me on a very personal level, and it's always hard for me to know whether I should be coming here and telling you this or not. You probably just don't want to hear it?!! However my blog is (and always has been) an open, honest account of my life as it rolls out day by day, week by week and as my posts are generally unplanned and spontaneous you pretty much get the unfiltered version of what's running through my mind at the time. When I'm not feeling myself it becomes hard almost impossible for me to write, and you have probably noticed a shortage of life-posts here on my blog of late. Thank goodness for the absolute joy of the Dahlia blanket CAL which has been like a beacon of light and happiness for me during this tricky time. 

But the truth is, I've missed writing and sharing in this space - I've missed the easy dialogue spilling freely from my brain and out through my fingers and I've missed your words gently winging their way back to me. Writing my blog is a kind of feel-good therapy for me I guess, much in the same way as writing a journal or talking to a very good friend. And yes I've missed it, I've missed it a lot actually. So even though I am still wading through a few dilemmas and dealing with some "difficult stuff" in my real life world, I have decided to open up my window and invite you all in regardless. Come in!! I have missed you!! It's messy and chaotic here in the Attic, but I am choosing to ignore all that and focus on the good.

The above photos were taken on a random Monday about a month ago - our car had to be dropped of at the garage for it's annual MOT and the garage we use is about five miles away. So with the weather being unusually great for January (nothing fair to middling about clear blues skies and sunshine!) we decided to walk home all along the canal tow path instead of getting the bus. It was atrociously muddy in places, but even with all the precarious slip-sliding it was still a beautiful walk. 

Life on the home front has in general been okay these past few months, if a little mundane. I've been seeking out my stitching projects when I've needed to lay down my hook and rest my hands and I'm so happy that I found my way into the world of cross stitch (two years ago now). It's given me an absorbing creative hobby which delivers a lot of pleasure - obviously it's not as good as crochet for tipping my pleasure-o-meter over the edge but it's a pretty great second best really.

As well as this ongoing stitchy WiP ↑↑ I've been making some seasonal cross stitch pieces just lately, and have been absolutely loving them. I'll be sharing these with you very soon as they really need their own blog post I think.

Just lately I've been giving a lot of thought to my everyday routines and have been attempting to make small but significant changes to the way I balance out my time. One of the things I'm trying hard to do is to reclaim my evenings and weekends. When you are self employed and you LOVE what you do to earn a living as much as I do, it's so easy to allow it to consume every single day. Or if it's not consuming the day exactly, it has a sly habit of sneaking in around the edges and stealing away great chunks of precious time. I'm mainly talking about laptop/screen time and social media here, rather than crochet or creative making.

I have to confess it's been quite hard! I love the online creative world that I'm part of and really enjoy browsing and engaging with blogs, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook. But I do recognise that screen time needs to have limits, and I've been making a huge effort to disengage as much as possible during the evenings and weekends. I have rediscovered my love for magazines, remembering how relaxing it is to curl up on the sofa under a blanket and gently turn the pages, drinking in the photography and reading the narrative. I'm still a work in progress though and haven't quite found the balance that I'm craving just yet, but I'm getting there. 

I've been enjoying the outdoors as and when the weather has allowed me to venture out, gosh it really has been pretty vile around here. So. Much. RAIN!!!!!!!!!! We've had aalllllll the rain, the light misty drizzle, the heavy downpours, the icy-sleety hail and snow, the horizontal blustery stormy rain, the short sharp showers and the endless days and nights of persistent wet stuff falling. The ground is sodden and flooded and there is mud and standing water absolutely everywhere at the moment.

But we've been out in it all the same, tramping around in the woodland where the pathways remain pretty solid and walkable even when the rain falls and falls and falls.

I spotted the first bluebell shoots pushing up through the leafy woodland banks and felt a rush of joy for those beautiful fresh green leaves. Thank heavens for the small signs in nature that tell me winter is losing it's grip, I live for those signs in February!

Often on the way back from the school run I find myself meandering along the canal not feeling ready to be back indoors. Fresh air and walking (even when it's wet) is pretty vital to my well being and so I make sure to allow time in the day to give myself this pleasure.

Even a dull, misty grey stroll through the park can lift my spirits, I breathe it all in and practice a little bit of mindful gratitude as I walk.

↑↑ this is one of my favourite park pathways to walk along as those trees either side are cherry trees. They don't look much in winter but in the spring they will be smothered in pink and white blossom and I absolutely can't wait for that. Can you see the old weathered picnic bench there to the right? I often stop here in warmer, drier weather to sit and drink a coffee on my way home from the farm shop, gosh I am really longing for those days to return. Roll on Springtime, I'm a-waiting for you.

A little bit of Spring gladness on my mantel as a succession of bulbs come and go. These particular hyacinths grew tall and strong and smelly and were the most delicious shade of sky blue (I wish I had photographed them before they went past their best). I replenished my old Cornishware bowl with fresh shoots this morning, white hyacinths this time round.

And in other news, after some slow, stop-start progress around the edge of my Colourwash dahlia blanket this past week I finally finished the border, yipppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! I'm so so so happy with both of these blankets, they are utterly joyous and stuffed to the brim with happy sunshiny vibes. I'm hoping to take some photographs in the next few days in preparation for a bit of a Dahlia Ta-dah post - this CAL has given me so much to be grateful for, and I want to celebrate that fact.

I must say, it's so so good to be back here again, like cleaning my windows and loving the view after a time of misty, foggy greyness. More soon!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

January Slow

Last week I bought two £1 bunches of tightly closed daffies from the supermarket, the first of the season. I plopped one bunch into a small jug to have on the table at home, and the other bunch came with me to the studio to brighten up my days spent there. I've been looking forward to my first bunch of daffodils since before Christmas, it's one of my January rituals that makes me feel just a little bit closer to spring time.

Waiting impatiently for the buds to open, ooooo, the anticipation is real!

As it turned out, it didn't take long at all for the flowers to fully open their petals, my studio is beautifully warm and cosy and all that glorious golden yellow was shining out in no time.

At home I've also got some little pots of narcissus growing happily away on the mantel, another January tradition of mine (just been reminded of this post from 2009). These have been steadily growing away during the past few weeks, shoots becoming taller each day and finally a few days ago, the first bright little flower. I love them so much!

I faffed my mantel a few days ago as it was still looking very bare after the post Christmas de-clutter. I ventured into the Cupboard of Doom to find my bag of winter-themed decorations which mainly consists of some pretty seasonal cards and the simple winter garland I made two years ago.

I went out into the back yard to snip some fresh greenery and bare hazel twigs to go in my newly acquired vase. The vase was a spontaneous purchase, I saw it a little while ago in the window of a charity shop and decided that I would very much like to re-home it. It cost £2.99 which I thought was a bargain, it's just the sort of colour which makes me think of the English sea.

Did you notice the little red and white stitched hoop hanging on my wall up there? I was thrilled to be invited to design one of the projects for the Winter 2019 Craftpod, and this sweet little cross stitch was the result. Jo gave me a very specific brief, asking me to come up with a woodland house with snow and trees, red stitching on white fabric to evoke a Scandi winter feel.

Incidentally, the beautiful little greetings card that sits on my mantel is by the very talented collage and mixed media artist Clover Robin. I've been a huge fan of Clovers work for several years, and couldn't believe it when Jo told me that the Winter Craftpod would contain a paper collage project designed by her. I might have squealed a bit, just a teensy little yelp of delight.

I absolutely LOVE creating cross stitch designs and find it insanely satisfying to work within the confines of a simple grid. I can't tell you why I love it so much as it has certainly been a surprise to me, but cross stitch (both designing and stitching) really, really, really floats my boat. In essence it's a very easy craft to master, and yet somehow the simple business of making teensy crosses onto holey fabric results in something so wonderfully pleasing to look at. I also love that you can't hurry cross stitch, and this greatly adds to the appeal for me. It's a sloooooow, steady, one-speed activity as you can't really go fast or slow with it, it's a pretty perfect winter hobby I'd say.

I've been enjoying the quarterly seasonal Craftpod boxes ever since I first became a fan and a customer back in the Autumn of 2017. The above photo shows you the contents of the current Winter box - you can see my little cross stitch hoop, and the papers to make Clovers' beautiful winter collage. I think there may still be a few boxes available if you fancy a little bit of seasonal creativity yourself - you can buy the Winter pod as a one-off box, or treat yourself to an annual subscription. All details ((here))

January has gotten off to a slow plodding start for me this year, and really that's quite alright. This is our third week of back-to-school routine and I've been trying to ease myself gently back into the swing of things. My laptop broke just before Christmas, not in any dramatic way (I didn't lose any files or photos) but the screen simply stopped working. I was so cross and stressed out about it at the time, but looking back on it, I think it all happened for a reason. Not having a functioning laptop forced me to take a bit of a break away from my desk over Christmas which I most definitely needed.  I've got a replacement now which I was lucky to get in the January sales, and I am more than ready to get back to using it.

Spending time in the studio this month has been therapeutic and I've been writing lists and making plans for the year ahead. I am still in big love with my planner (it's from the Swedish company Personal Planner) and I also got me some new coloured pens, oh happy days! They are unbelievably cute little mini things, perfect to tuck in my bag with my planner - find them on Amazon UK.

I'm still working on my Dahlia blankets behind the scenes, slowly at the moment because I'm having some pain in my hands which has forced me to rest way more than I'm used to. I'm beginning to work on the final design for the blanket border - this part of the pattern will be released in the final week which is 21st February. 

For those of you like me who use planners, I wanted to let you know that Dahlia planner stickers are still available from EllieBethDesigns. Remember that Rachel has very kindly set up a permanent discount code for Attic24 readers - you can receive 10% off any EllieBethDesigns order, not just right now but each and every time you need a sticker fix in the future. All you need to do is apply the code ATTIC24LOVE  at the checkout.

A big part of my planning process during these slow days of January has involved looking back over 2019 and taking stock. Last year was not the best for me on a personal level and I have been trying to accept that this is actually OK and not to beat myself up over it. So one of the things I'd really like to focus on as we go forward into a brand new year is to firstly catch up and finish off some projects that slipped through my net in 2019.

The first of these will be my Festive Garland - I've already taken all the photos for the tutorial and am annoyed at myself for not getting this out to you last month. I think these bauble decorations are super sweet and they are fun to make using up scraps left over from other projects - hmmm, maybe a Dahlia-coloured garland would look rather fabulous? Either way, I will be hoping to share this with you very soon.

The other project I want to work on is my Granny Bag - do you remember this from last Spring? I started making these whilst in France last year and would really, really  like to see them come together into a bag shape instead of sitting in an abandoned pile.

Speaking of France, that was one of the other things that was never given it's moment here on my blog in 2019. You might remember that I went away twice last year with Stitchtopia to teach two crochet retreats in France? It was an amazing experience and I loved it, every single last bit of it. I took masses of photos while I was away, but somehow when I got back after the second trip in May I never got around to sharing them. I really regret that to be honest, but on reflection I've been thinking that maybe it's not too late to make amends and that perhaps you would still enjoy hearing all about it? Let me know what you think?

So that's where I'm up to at the moment, slowly emerging into this new year, a brand new decade. I'm hopeful for some renewed energy as the weeks move along as I've been seriously lacking in the energy department for quite some time now. Gently does it though, slow and steady feels like the right kind of pace for January.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

In December

❆ In December we had a lot of rain, but there were also some welcome sunny days to lift the spirits.

❆ In December I made the most of the good weather days and enjoyed the quiet, pared back stillness.

❆ In December I tried to remember to stop every so often and look up.

❆ In December our winter season well and truly arrived.

❆ In December I got a bit giddy over the wintry perfection of frosty moss (like you do).

❆ In December I felt grateful for my morning walks to school along the canal.

❆ In December I turned my face to the sun at every opportunity.

❆ In December I often walked home from the shops the Long Way, just for the pleasure of being out in the fresh air and stretching my legs.

❆ In December I enjoyed pottering around the familiar streets of my town.

❆ In December I constantly searched out bright spots of colour amongst the greyness.

❆ In December I enjoyed the arrival of seasonal produce - specifically nets of whole nuts and boxes of leafy clementines.

❆ In December I remembered how much I love eating fresh fruit every day, especially zesty citrus and the lush flavours of more exotic offers - mango, kiwi and passion fruit all in my belly!

❆ In December a small miracle occurred and I actually remembered to buy the candy canes in the first week of the month.

❆ In December, for the first time EVER, I listened to the Little People and we decorated the house for Christmas on the First Day of the month. It was the best decision, and I am now converted.

❆ In December I crocheted 24 Teeny Tiny Stars (pattern here) and 12 Tassel Baubles to make a Festive Garland. I also photographed a tutorial for the tassel baubles but completely ran out of mental energy when it came to editing the forty-plus photos and writing it all up. I'm so sorry. Running-out-of-energy seems to have been the general underlying theme of my life just lately.

❆ In December I did actually manage to complete my Festive Garland and hung it in place mid month. I absolutely adore it I have to say. I still fully intend to share the pattern and create the tutorial for you, once all Dahlia happenings are under way. I'm so sorry that I haven't been very good at keeping up this year.

❆ In December we had some truly beautiful skies to start and end our days.

❆ In December I embarked on something of a personal healthy eating crusade and I can already feel it doing me good. I've cut right back on caffeine and alcohol, upped my daily water intake and am making a conscious effort to give my body all the good stuff it needs. My general health and well being hasn't been great this year, but I am trying to do what I can to help myself.

❆ In December I spent a lot of time in cosy cafés, including some lovely outings with Little B. He seems to really enjoy coming along with me when I go shopping or run errands in town, especially when we squeeze in a quick refreshment stop along the way.

❆ In December we had our first snow day on the 15th. It wasn't a huge amount, just enough to give us some winter feel-good for a day without too much disruption.

❆ In December I shook off my natural desire to stay cosy indoors and ventured out to the park at first light to take in the snowy scene. The light was very weird indeed, with a pinky purple hue cast over everything. It was eerily beautiful.

❆ In December I took the train to The City to do some Christmas gift buying a week before the big day. I carried a mild dose of anxiety along with me, but despite my usual lateness with this kind of thing, all ended well. I am just a last minute person and no amount of mental resolve seems to change my natural patterns.

❆ In December I also very much enjoyed shopping locally, using our thriving high street and supporting small independent shops where I was able.

❆ In December I enjoyed the daily ritual of lighting the Advent candle when we sat down to our evening meal. Little B was in charge of lighting and extinguishing, and he carried this out with great ceremony.

❆ In December I walked in the woods with Little B on the shortest day of the year, gathering in some ivy as we went. Poor boy, my chopping made him nervous ("Mum, is it actually illegal to do this?") but I assured him that with the huge abundance of ivy growing along the pathways, we were OK to remove just a little bit here and there. I added in sprigs of rosemary and eucalyptus snipped from my back yard pots, and wove the whole lot around a wire wreath frame (this sort of thing) to make a simple Solstice wreath.

❆ In December I quietly celebrated the Winter Solstice, enjoying the scent of greenery and a new red berry candle.

❆ In December we thoroughly enjoyed our before-Christmas time. The Little People finished school on the 20th, and the fours days that followed were spent gift wrapping (I wish, wish, wish I could manage to do this earlier, but alas, old habits die hard), gathering in food and drink supplies and generally idling about. We completed our two "Christmas Eve" jigsaws which is a Christmas tradition that I love, and I enjoyed the relaxed pace of holiday days spent at home.

❆ In December we enjoyed a quiet, happy Christmas day at home just the five of us. It was bloomin' lovely too. Little B (who is almost ten) still believes in the Big Fella in Red (possibly for the last year?) so we made the very most of the magic. And for the first time EVER, our day started at the late hour of seven o'clock which was hugely appreciated, we've had so so many years of very early starts on Christmas morning.

❆ In December we managed a walk through the woods on Christmas morning. We left The Big Teen in bed, but Little B and Little Lady came with J and me, and I enjoyed it very much. There was weak winter sunshine and lots of mud, oh, and chocolate too.

❆ In December we also went for a walk on Boxing day, venturing out in the cold winter to stroll along the riverside at Bolton Abbey. It was a tad bleak if I'm honest, a biting wind and low murky cloud, but nevertheless it felt good.

❆ In December we faced some tough times with family. J's beloved Dad was in and out of hospital, and we were beyond grateful when he was able to come home on Christmas Eve. He's slowly recovering and we are awaiting test results which are a very real concern to be honest, but not much to do at the moment except remain positive.

We also lost my Mum's partner Grandpa B unexpectedly, he took a fall a few weeks before Christmas and died shortly afterwards. He and my Mum were never married but they did share thirty years together and I've felt very sad saying goodbye to that part of my Dorset family life. 

❆ In December I worked on my upcoming Crochet-A-Long, which starts tomorrow! Yay!!!! It's such a blessing to have this to look forward to as we start the New Year, and I'm very excited to see it all finally unfold. I work on my CAL projects for much of the year (I start around May time) so they are a big part of my life, even though most of the planning and creative work goes on quietly behind the scenes. This will be my sixth annual blanket CAL (previous blankets were Cosy, Sunny, Moorland, Woodland and Sweet Pea, 2014-2019) and I absolutely love the crochet community that has grown around it. It makes me so happy, and a teensy bit proud too.

Well that pretty much brings us right up to date, and I'm so happy that I was able to chisel out time to make a December catch up post to share with you. Waking up at 4.30 am does have it's advantages sometimes!

I've got some things on my mind that I'd like to chat about, but today isn't the day for that. Today it's full-steam Dahlia prep, so I'd better get back to it......I'll be here in the morning to fling some floral colour at you!!! Haha!

Wishing you all a fantastically happy New Year and New Decade, may 2020 be filled with joy and sparkle, colour and creativity, love and kindness. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

Autumn Feels

Well hello there my lovely Attic visitors, it's so good to see you again! Thank you very much for stopping by after I've been away from this space for a silly amount of time, my break was totally unplanned but it seems life had other ideas for me these past few weeks. October has been a bit up and down, a real mixed blend of feels and my main aim has been to take one day at a time and try to look after my physical and mental well being.

I find Autumn such a strange season to get to grips with as regardless of how visually beautiful it is, I really struggle with the reduced light levels and the underlying feelings of melancholy. It's an odd thing for me as I am generally such an upbeat person and am passionate about celebrating the changing seasons, but this time of year just feels tricky to navigate.

October has been extremely wet for the most part, so the days when the sun has come out to play have felt like the greatest gift. I've been pretty unwell for the past few weeks and have spent a lot of time at home, but short walks into town during dry spells have felt really good. I've had to go slow as my energy levels have been extremely low, but I've appreciated the cool fresh air and the chance to very gently stretch my legs. 

Today I woke up feeling very much better (thank heavens!) and have spent some time in my studio which was so good. I do miss my blog when I've been away for a while, it's become such an important part of my life during the past decade. So as it's been a few weeks since I opened my Attic window, I thought it would be nice to have a grand ol' catch up and share a little of what I've been up to, both at home and away. 

Just after Yarndale, J and I had the opportunity to escape for a very short break away just the two of us. It was such a blessing, a quick jaunt up into Wensleydale to stay in one of our favourite villages {the very picturesque and atmospheric Askrigg} and walk a couple of our favourite trails in the Yorkshire Dales.

It was very lush but incredibly wet, light rain falling almost non-stop and the ground completely waterlogged. Can you see in the above photo what looks like a small stream flowing at the bottom? Well that was actually the footpath! We had to wade through that little lot which was a very wet and soggy business - thank goodness for my hand knit socks which kept my feet reasonably warm even though my boots were absolutely sodden.

Whole fields had become picturesque lakes, but we managed to navigate the paths and enjoy the peacefulness of the landscape with very few people about. It was such a tonic, and arriving at our cosy bed and breakfast after miles of wet wandering was pure bliss. We had a delicious dinner and a few beers beside the open fire in one of our favourite pubs (The Kings Arms) followed by an early night in one of the most comfortable beds I've ever slept in.

We returned home the following afternoon, so it really was a short break (30 hours in total) but it was enough to recharge my batteries after the whirlwind that was Yarndale. I think short breaks away from home are bloomin' marvelous things, and J and I are very fortunate to have his wonderful parents close by to take care of the Little People for us from time to time. I appreciate it very much I have to say.

A few days after Wensleydale and I was preparing for another trip away, this time on my own. This is something that has become a fixture in my calendar in recent years, my annual trip to London to visit the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace. I traveled down by train, meeting up with my fab friend Christine before heading to the show in the late afternoon.

We never seem to time it right and always end up rushing around trying to see as much as possible before it closes - it's a giant show with a huge number of exhibitors and displays and of course there is always a lot of socialising to be done! I stopped to chat to my good friends at Stylecraft Yarns, said hello to other lovely yarny folks I know and introduced myself to new folks too. I had a very brief but exciting little meeting with the two gorgeous ladies who run this company.....

...this is the Historial Sampler Company who design the most beautiful cross stitch and tapestry kits. I'm excited to be doing some design work with them next year - during the past year or two I've been love love loving cross stitch and designing in this medium is super-exciting I have to say. I'll keep you posted!

The other reason for my annual trip to the Knit and Stitching show is down to a little something known as the British Knitting and Crochet Awards. This was my fourth year to attend, and I absolutely love that I now know many of the other lovely nominees and award winners. From designers and authors, to bloggers, yarn producers and shop owners, this is a super group of passionate and talented ladies and gents who I am madly happy to call friends. In the above photo you can see me in the middle (looking pretty smiley and contented!), Christine on the right (who won a highly commended award for her book "More Super Socks") and my lovely friend Fiona on the left who owns an amazing local yarn shop in Harrogate called "Yarn Etc". Fiona's shop won a highly commended award for the North of England region, such a well deserved win for all the hard work she pours into her shop and local yarn community. We had a fun time catching up and celebrating, then out for a meal afterwards with other shop owners and retailers who have become friends over the years, gosh I can't remember the last time I was out after eleven o'clock, it felt very grown up!

I am really, really happy to tell you that I won first place in the "Favourite Crochet Designer" category, and gained a highly commended in the "Favourite Crochet Blog" category. I would continue to do what I do here on my blog regardless of any votes being cast my way, simply because it makes me unbelievably happy to share my creativity and inspire others. But recognition is still a truly wonderful thing, and I am so so grateful for the community that surrounds me and the friendships that continue to grow from it. Thank you very, very much if you took the trouble to vote for me, I appreciate it very much.

After a night on the town in London, followed by a yummy hotel breakfast and an extended morning coffee/pastry/chatter session with Christine, I left the city behind and headed home.............

................not home to the Attic, but a journey South-West to my childhood home town in Dorset.

Hooray for spontaneous decisions and trains that take you where your heart desires! 

I'd decided to spend the weekend in Dorset as it just so happened to be my Birthday, and my annual pull to be beside the sea was as strong as ever. 

My Birthday fell on a Saturday this year and there was only one place I wanted to go - my new favourite cafe by the sea at West Bay for a spot of brunch. Yeah, I'm still firmly on my brunch kick, I am quite addicted to this leisurely weekendish meal and take advantage of it as often as possible. So I was without J and the Little Peeps which felt a bit odd, but I trundled down to the sea with my Dad and Lady B to settle cosily into Rise cafe. Gosh, I do so love this place! Brunch was awesome and although the weather was very disappointing (it did not stop raining the whole weekend I was there, honestly, non-stop wet stuff falling from the clouds), I was still able to sit and swoon over the seaside views. 

My birthday passed in a blur of sea air, good food, good company, a trip to the local pub followed by cake, prosecco and cosy crochet sofa time, which was pretty perfect.

On the Sunday morning I had the pleasure of returning to West Bay to meet up with a group of local crocheters. This lovely group of Dorset ladies meets up a few times a year as a result of knowing each other online via the "Hooked on Attic24" facebook group. Isn't that just the loveliest thing? The get together was organised by Sandra who writes her blog Daffodil Wild, and it just so happened that the Autumn meet coincided with my own short jaunt down to Dorset. How could I stay away?! It was a fabulous few hours, loads of excited chatter, coffee, cake and crochet and lots and lots of blanket squishing. Thank you lovely Dorset ladies for making me feel so welcome, it really was a wonderful way for me to round off my time in Dorset before I had to whizz back up North again.

I arrived back late on Sunday night, exhausted but glad to be home after four days away. I had kind of forgotten it had been my birthday whilst I was gone and enjoyed opening some surprise cards and gifts from the Little People. I'm happy to report that chocolate featured heavily in the gift giving this year, how lucky am I? And in case you were curious - I've managed fifty one glorious years pootling around on planet earth. Pretty happy about that!

When I woke up on the morning after coming back from London/Dorset, I did not feel at all well. I knew straight away that it wasn't just tiredness from travelling, but something much yuckier taking over my body. Nothing serious you understand, just a cold, but my goodness what a beastly virus it turned out to be.

Last week I really felt pretty unwell, that cold really did a number on my energy levels and I've barely felt like doing anything, just the absolute bare essentials. I've been sleeping badly at night, then falling asleep on the sofa at odd times during the day, trying to keep up with Mum stuff, the shopping, cooking, laundry, school run, homework type of stuff which still needs to happen regardless of how bad the body feels. 

This week I've been feeling a little better, and J and I managed a short walk at Bolton Abbey on a day when it actually stopped raining and the sun came out.

Real, actual sunshine!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glorious, it really was. 

We spotted a heron soaking up the rays on the opposite side of the river.....

....and the woodland was looking super-pretty wearing it's early Autumn colours.

I enjoyed the walk enormously, although I was pretty much dragging by the end of it and so glad of the café where good coffee was inhaled for essential revival purposes. 

We walked in our local woods at the weekend with Little B in tow - actually it was his idea to take a walk on Saturday morning, with the promise of a stop off in town afterwards for hot chocolate. It was a tad muddy, but delightful all the same, and for the umpteenth time I gave thanks for this beautiful patch of tree-filled land which is there for us to enjoy right on our doorstep. 

So........that's about all that's been going on here this month -  a couple trips away, some serious germs to contend with and a few short local walks. Autumn has well and truly arrived.

I've still got some Yarndale things to share with you all, I've not forgotten about that and was part way through creating the blog post just before I became unwell. I'll try and get that finished off and published very soon - it's half term next week which I absolutely can't wait for, I really am longing for some slow days of family time. 

Back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

Summers End

Today marks the Autumn Equinox and there's no denying it now - Summer is officially over for another year. The past week has been absolutely glorious, a truly beautiful end to my favourite season and I've been drinking it in at every opportunity. 

On Monday last week J and I took a flask of coffee and some chocolate and set out to climb The Crag - it's been a while since we were last up there and I'd forgotten what a beast of a climb it is. I felt like every cell in my body was screaming in protest, but the stunning views combined with the deep down feeling of achievement (and sheer relief) once I hauled myself up to the top was definitely worth it.

It was a lovely walk in perfect late summer weather and I was so glad we made the effort to get out there to enjoy it.

Our days this week have often started out in a very foggy way with a thick bank of whiteness hanging low over the landscape. It's been atmospheric and beautiful, and has made our morning walks to school feel very Autumnal.

There is something very unique about the morning light in September, don't you think? There is a softness to it which I've come to really love, and even though it signals the end of summer I find I really don't mind it at all.

Coming home after the hectic morning school run, I try and make time to sit quietly with a coffee for a short while to gather my thoughts and just breathe in the stillness. It never fails to make me feel that all is right in my world when I have a hot milky drink in my hands. 

I've been walking around town more than usual this week as I've somehow had a lot of errands to run which have taken me from one end of town to the other.

It's certainly no hardship to run errands in my town. I've lived here for almost twelve years now and I absolutely love being able to walk from my house to the shops via roads like this ↑↑

....and along pathways like this ↑↑

I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to walk along these watery pathways every day and never take it for granted.

We gathered up Little B on Saturday and drove into the Yorkshire Dales to walk alongside the river Wharfe. This walk has become a firm family favourite during this past year, ever since we discovered the delights of the Old School Tearoom. In fact it was Little B's idea for us to walk there at the weekend, and I'm pretty certain that his decision was entirely banana milkshake induced.

Even though I've been holding onto the idea of Summer still being with us, the trees along the riverbank were most definitely displaying their Autumn colours. Most trees are still very green (hooray!) but the horse chestnuts are always one of the first to turn.

They look lovely though, especially when the sun lights them up.

Little B was on a conker-finding mission, although really it's still too early for them. He was overjoyed by the very small ones he found and we now have a very teensy collection of them sitting in a bowl in the kitchen.

The tea room was delightful as ever and it was warm enough for us to sit outside to eat an early lunch. Note the banana milkshake of dreams (!), he was so happy with his drink and his conkers, bless him.

I used to have a major addiction to buying tea towels, I wonder if you remember? I've not exactly grown out of it but have learnt to curb it and haven't indulged in a good few years now. I was looking on the Cath Kidston website for a new purse as my current 22 year old one has finally fallen apart. Somehow I found myself looking at tea towels instead (old habits die hard) and well, the 'shrooms just called out to me and had to come and live in my kitchen. I think they look very Autumnal and so blinkin' cute, I love love love them.

I've got some glorious sunflowers on my table at the moment, a gift from a good friend for no other reason other than she knew I would love them. She wasn't wrong, I do absolutely adore them and every day they make me smile. They are very Septemberish I think, a real end of Summer treat.

My mantel is still in Summer mode, and it shall stay that way until after Yarndale. We are forecast some rotten weather this week so I am doing all that I can to summon up some sunshiny summer vibes, just enough to get us through the weekend would be good. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

Across the Moors

Last Sunday on the first day of September we set out on a morning walk across the moors. It was our last jaunt of the Summer holidays, a chance for us to stretch our legs, breathe in the fresh air and mentally begin the process of winding down our holidays and preparing for the start of a new school year. 

As is pretty usual for us these days, we were walking as a family of three with both the Teens working that day. Mind you, even if they weren't working I doubt that it would have made a difference to our walking plans - Little Lady does still like to walk with us but more often than not she's made other weekend plans for herself. Her social life is like a non stop merry-go-round and she is always on the go with her gorgeous group of friends, which of course I'm super happy about. She is in such a great place right now, happy, confident and loving life and I couldn't be more pleased for her.

So we are a threesome for walks these days, and that's quite OK, the transition has been gradual and it feels more normal now than it did a year ago. 

We mapped out a circular five mile walk around the two reservoirs (Upper Barden and Lower Barden) which sit high up on Barden Moor. We drive this way often en route to Bolton Abbey, but it's a beautiful place in it's own right and well worth an outing when the weather is fine. It can often be very wild and windy up here with virtually no place to shelter, so you do need to come prepared with the right clothes and some refreshments tucked in your bag.

We passed a few other people walking as well as some woolly four legged residents but mostly we enjoyed having these vast moors and spectacular views all to ourselves.

Upper Barden reservoir can't be seen from the road so it's always a lovely sight when it finally comes into view. Being that this was roughly the half way point of the walk, we had told Little B that we would stop here for a rest and something to eat and drink, so he was ridiculously happy when we arrived at the waters edge.

Before leaving town, we made a quick stop off at a café which opens it's doors for the early morning breakfast crowd and filled up our flasks. J and I had frothy lattés and Little B had his very own flask of hot chocolate which he was delighted with. On the spur of the moment I'd also picked up a couple of chocolate croissants which I felt would hit the spot rather nicely once we were high up on the hilltops.

Sitting out in the wide open countryside with a picturesque view laid out in front of you is one of life's glorious pleasures and one of my most favourite things to do. If you add in a picnic blanket, a hot drink and a bit of something sweet and naughty, well the whole experience is elevated up a notch or two on the pleasure charts. It was just so good! It also really helped to give Little B an extra energy boost as he'd been dragging his little legs somewhat. Hot chocolate has magical properties I'm sure of it.

We walked past the old Victorian reservoir keepers house - we were last here in the depths of Winter and I found myself very intrigued by this remote house back then too. I wonder what it would feel like to live there? Blissful or lonesome?

The heather was beautiful but definitely not abundant this year and there was far more brown than purple.

There was lots of green though, and it made me immediately think of the first part of my Moorland Blanket. I don't think I'll ever walk up here and not think of the colours in my Moorland blanket to be honest, it's impossible for me to look at this very familiar landscape and not see Cypress, Lime, Khaki, Meadow, Pistachio, Mocha and Walnut!

The winding track back towards the Lower Reservoir felt quite long and a little hard going - you can just see the reservoir in the distance there. 

But eventually we made it to the water's edge...

...and continued to follow the track across the embankment and up, up, up over the moors.

This felt like a veeeeery long part of the walk, and I was glad that Little B seemed to still be powering forward on hot chocolate energy because I was definitely dragging my heels.

I loved this Rowan tree which was absolutely covered in berries, it looked so bright and cheerful against the more muted backdrop of the hills and water.

I love walking in the countryside and taking in all the colours and I find myself mixing up virtual colour palettes inside my Creative Mind all the time. I've always been this way, even as a teenager I can vividly remember walking in Dorset and being so drawn to particular colours around me, wishing back then that I'd had a camera to capture what I was seeing. Owning a digital camera has completely changed my life and I absolutely wouldn't be without it. I always carry my little pocket point-and-shoot camera with me wherever I go (it's this Sony one, in case you wanted to know) and love that taking photographs has become such an essential part of my everyday life.

Hard to believe it's now three years since I  was working on my Moorland Blanket, it's still one of my most favourite makes.

I'm currently working on my next blanket design which I'll be ready to share with you in mid November (it'll be run as another CAL which will take place in Jan/Feb 2020). I'm super excited as I'm heading off on Friday for a little inspirational visit somewhere special. I might share some sneaky photos with you, I've not decided yet - it's hard to know how much to share and how much to keep as a surprise.

Let me know what you think? Would you like to know what the colour inspiration is for my next blanket, or shall I keep it under wraps for now? I'm so so so so so excited about it by the way!!!!!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

Life in August :: part 3

I've loved writing my blog during this past month, and know from experience that these types of everyday-life posts are the ones that I'll most enjoy looking back on and re-reading in future years. Blogging is such an excellent way to capture memories and record the essence of time and place, and I so enjoy seeing my random photos come together to describe the little everyday joys of spending summer at home with the Little People. I guess this is my own personal window into the summer of twenty-nineteen, but I'm glad that you also enjoy peeking through my window with me.

24th August, a random Tuesday morning. We drove out to the beautiful village of Burnsall in the Yorkshire Dales and strolled along the riverside, it was sunny, bright and fresh and a lovely morning for a walk. Most of the river along this stretch is fast moving and quite noisy...

....but I loved this bit close to the riverbank where the reflections played on the still surface of the water amongst the mossy stones. 

Turning away from the river, this part of the walk passes through beautiful fields and meadows. Mid morning and the sun is still low in the sky and the shadows are long in late August.

There is a definite feel of summer drawing to a soft, gentle close......

....and the very beginnings of the Autumn season beginning to show. 

We walked as far as our favourite watering hole in Hebden and for the first time all summer we chose to sit inside instead of out in the garden. This was in part decided by the wasps, but it's sooo cosy and gorgeous inside I felt I could quite happily move in. A leisurely brunch is definitely the most enjoyable meal of the day I've decided. I know it doesn't really work on school/work days but that's probably why I love it so much because it's so very weekend/holidayish!

We've continued to make the most of the long days when the weather has been good, enjoying early evenings out and about after our dinner. It's mostly just Little B and me, the two of us seeking out the sunshine and enjoying a bit of playtime. We head to the park close to our house where I sit a while and daydream while he runs, balances, jumps, climbs and spins his way around the place.

There is another small park that we sometimes visit, it's a bit further to walk and sits at the top of a veeeeeery long, steep, hilly residential street so I need to be persuaded to take that particular jaunt in the evening. Little B is very, very good at the whole persuasive thing though, and I do love the peaceful tranquility up here.

It was definitely worth the steep walk as we got to watch the sun go down just after 8pm. There were rabbits nibbling the grass and a couple of people walking dogs, but mostly we had the whole place to ourselves.

Another evening, and this time it's Little Lady who asks me if I'd like to walk with her. I immediately sense that she is feeling restless and needs to walk and talk, and I am more than happy to be the legs and ears that she needs. We climb up the big grassy hill to sit on the dry stone wall and look out over our neighbourhood....

....well, that was the plan! As you can see, our usual peaceful long distance view was interrupted by the local residents who were very interested in coming to see us. Nosy things.

7.20pm and already the sun is low in the sky and the shadows are delightfully long. You can just make out myself and Little Lady in the photo above, well not us in person but our shadowy selves. Little Lady has grown tall this summer and is now around three inches taller than me (I am a shorty at only 5ft 3"), and I am still adjusting to that fact. It feels all wrong somehow.

On our way out of the woods we found ourselves at the top of the high street and with a tilt of her head and a big persuasive smile, Little Lady gently asked if perhaps we might go for a drink together. It was a beautifully warm, clear evening and I could tell she wasn't ready to head home, so I did the decent thing and obliged her.....

....oh, it was really no hardship, as you can see!!! Haha!! We were drawn to the outside terrace of Alexanders Bar which really comes into it's own on a warm summers evening. I treated Little Lady to a mocktail, she chose a White Russian (a "coffee and vanilla infusion with crushed ice & cream topped with salted caramel" in case you wondered) and I went with a very delicious chilled Sauvignon Blanc. It was such an unexpectedly good end to a long, warm lazy day, a delightful memory that has stayed fresh and bright in my mind ever since. My sweet girl, I do love her so.

Days have been gentle and rather lazy during this past week or so. I've found myself lolling around the house in Holiday Mode and sometimes I've felt guilty about it and sometimes I've just been delighted by it. I found the above photo on my camera roll, and it just describes these kind of lolling days perfectly. I'm sat outside in my back yard, it's 5pm ish and I'm kind of in the midst of cooking dinner (well when I say "cooking" I probably mean plopping various bits of salad stuff onto a plate along with some cold roast chicken and appropriate condiments, crusty bread and dips). I remember it had been a warm sunny day because there is my duvet cover folded up ready to go upstairs after drying on the line (isn't that one of the most wonderful things about summertime weather?). I had been reading through some magazines after deciding to carry out a bit of decluttering around my desk that afternoon. Of course I had to read the magazines before passing them on to a good friend. Of course! And yes ok, that is a cheeky little gin and tonic there, hmm....I don't often drink during the week, but realise that these last two photos make it look like I really do. Holiday Mode and a relaxing drink go hand in hand, no?

I have to say that I don't enjoy the shortening days at this time of year and although I try not to allow it, I do experience a creeping melancholy at the thought of summer starting to wane. I try hard to be positive about it, but it's not easy for a summer-loving soul like me. I've been lighting up my candles in the evenings instead of putting the light on, and that does kind of ease the transition a little. I'm so enjoying this particular candle which was a gift to me from Lady B when she came to visit a few months ago. The scent is just beautiful, and it does feel like a real luxury to light it up and enjoy the fragrance as well as the dancing light.

On the mornings when I don't have any particular agenda or anywhere to be, I've been getting up at around 7am ish. I head downstairs, empty the dishwasher, bring the milk in from the doorstep, feed the cat and see to the laundry, then set about making myself a cup of coffee. I like my coffee with plenty of hot milk and a dusting of chocolate powder, and always in a mug that feels morningish and good to hold. I tiptoe back to bed and sit and sip my coffee in the quiet of the house before Little B wakes up. It's one of those lovely little pockets of time in the day when I can be still and quiet and allow my thoughts to meander. I appreciate this slow start to the day very much as it's not something that can easily happen during school time. By the way, do you like my new mug? I came across it in the supermarket and couldn't resist it's wonky charms....it cost £4, a little treat from me to me. Happy Summer, Lucy!!

Actually one day last week I woke up with a start at 7.15 and was just about to start my dishwasher-cat-laundry-coffee-back-to-bed routine when I remembered that I had a train to catch......and I only had 50 minutes in which to perform the catching!!!! Yikes, I had to rush around like a crazy thing to get myself ready and out the door in time for the 8.05 train, I only just made it. My destination was Hebden Bridge....

....and can we just stop a moment and appreciate what a picturesque little train station Hebden Bridge is, it's really very lovely!

Setting off so early meant that I was strolling the streets before it got busy, and that's a rarity in this popular little town. I don't know Hebden Bridge very well having only been there a few times before, but from what I've seen it's a truly amazing  place with a very creative, quirky vibe. There are lots of independent shops and cafés and a real feeling of community spirit (it's very much like that where I live too).

To make this trip even more special, I wasn't wandering the streets on my ownsome. I had journeyed to HB to meet up with my very good friend Christine as we'd not had the opportunity to get together since before the summer holidays began. We thought it would be a fun place to spend the day together, an easy(ish) train journey for each of us and a great place for a leisurely pootle with plenty of cosy places to sit, sip, munch and chatter.

I hadn't really considered the shopping possibilities in HB, but of course the temptation was there and it was hard to resist the lure of pretty things. We called into a few different shops but this was definitely my favourite - it's the very lovely Yorkshire Soap Co. I didn't know until about 5 seconds ago that there are actually eight shops in Yorkshire, which just goes to show how gorgeous the products are and what a treat it is to step inside the fours walls.

Everything was just so very pretty, not only to look at, but the array of sniffing possibilities blew my mind!

I fell in love with the glycerine soap bars - the combination of beautiful glowing colours and tempting scents made me a bit giddy (to be fair, it doesn't take much to tip me over). There are more than 40 fragrances to choose from, and rather predictably I chose this one................

.......uh, huh.......Seashore. I've not used it yet but I have sniffed it excessively and can tell you it is delightful in every way. Fresh and zingy, it is meant to "capture the essence of a bracing walk along a seashore" which is right up my street. 

Our day was such a tonic, a chance to take some hours to be just Me and not Mum or Wife. I do really love the summer holidays and being home with the family but towards the end I always find myself craving just a weeny bit of breathing space. Christine and I meandered along the very picturesque canal, wandered in and out of shops and spent an extensive amount of time drinking coffee and eating cake in the cosy upstairs of a small café. We attempted a little bit of planning which ended up being just a bit of list making for me, but that's not a bad thing by any means. All in all it's often such good therapy just to talk things through with someone who knows you well enough to offer honest opinions and objective advice when it's needed. I certainly always feel like my head space is clearer after spending time with Christine, it's like whipping a feather duster around my cluttered Mental Cavities and opening up a window or two.

This week has seen us preparing for the return to school after our six week break and there has been a definite feeling of wanting to make the last few days count. On Sunday we decided to head up to to high ground and stride out across the moors. I was hoping for lots of purple but as you can see the heather on our local moor is pretty sparse this year. Still, we had a really lovely walk and I took lots of panoramic photos which I'm saving for another blog post. Lucky you.

Yesterday was the very last day before school returned today, and I'd promised my time to Little B. The previous day (Monday) I'd given it over to Little Lady, going with her on the train to Leeds for a day of shopping and lunch. She'd managed to save up a fair bit of money from working so many extra shifts at her waitressing  job over the summer, and was excited for a little bit of a well earned spending spree. It was a lovely day for us both, but honestly utterly exhausting.

So back to Little B - I asked him what he wanted to do, suggesting all sorts of things including swimming, the cinema, a trip on the train to Leeds (even though the thought of doing it two days on the trot made me wither a little inside), and in the end he was adamant that he wanted to go here...................

..........Skipton Castle. Yes, that's right, this is the castle that sits at the top of the High Street, less than ten minutes walk from home. He had it in his head that he really wanted to see inside it - we had taken him years ago when he was toddlerish size so he was too young to remember it. So off we went yesterday morning, just him and me (J was suddenly very busy, funny that), walking through that grand archway to buy our tickets and go on a jaunt through an eight hundred year old building.

I adore this tree which sits proudly in the centre of the inner courtyard. It's an ancient yew tree, planted as a sappling waaaaaay back in 1659. Sixteen-fifty-nine!!! 

I don't know how many times I've visited the castle over the years, we used to go when the Little People were small using an annual voucher from the local newspaper which gave us free entry. But no matter how many times you walk the rooms and take in the views and soak up the immense history of the place, it never fails to impress. It's just so very, very, very old!

I especially loved looking out of the windows to the side of the castle which overlooks the woodland as we've walk along that narrow pathway pretty much every week during the summer. There's something appealing about getting an aerial perspective of a well known place don't you think?

We really had a great time actually, and Little B absolutely loved it. We read every single information panel in every single room and being that is was first thing on a Tuesday morning we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves. We were able to freely wander in and out of all the magnificently huge rooms and generally breathe in the historical importance of it all. I'm not much of a one for historical appreciation, but even I felt impressed by the absolute ancientness surrounding us.

After buying a pencil from the castle souvenir shop, we ventured back into modern day life and went for a coffee in Starbucks, followed by a last minute dash to the school uniform shop. It's all about balance.

The afternoon was spent like this ↑↑↑↑ (well for Little B, not me, although I was very tempted). You can just see his hand waving out of his "den", telling me that he is still alive and hasn't suffocated under the huge weight of allllll the crochet blankets and alllllll the cushions. 

And so......there endeth our summer holidays and it's been back to school and work for us all today. I think we've had a pretty great summer this year and it has felt beautifully long and lazy for the most part. Our trip to Dorset seems like it was ages ago now (well I guess it was six weeks ago), and although we haven't had any big exciting holidays or trips out this summer it's still been extremely lovely. Oh, I almost forgot, we did have a second short break three weeks ago up to Saltburn  - I started to upload some photos for a seasidey blog post so I'll try and finish that up and write about it quite soon before it all fades and becomes too distant.

Yes, summer has been so, so good. And you know, it IS still summer, right up until the Autumn Equinox on Monday 23rd September. It really is still summer (it is, it is), so please don't talk to me about Autumn just yet. I'm not quite ready.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

ps. Here are links to previous summer posts ::

☀ Life in August PART 1 ☀

☀ Life in August PART 2 ☀

 

 

 

Life in August :: part 2

First things first - I want to thank you for the truly lovely comments that you've written to me recently when I've posted here in my precious Attic space, I've really enjoyed reading your words on my last couple of posts. I do so love to hear from you and I am grateful for the time you spend visiting with me and gifting me with your thoughts. Carving out quiet time to sit and write a coherent blog post during school holidays is actually quite the challenge for me, and it's really great to hear that you continue to enjoy my slightly random narrative. I am thankful for you!

I continue to keep my camera close, and pretty much every day I manage to capture a few images here and there which describe these August days. The randomness of the photos means that they don't always feel like they make sense together but I still  really enjoy seeing the visual story unfold when I sit down and string them along in a blog post. These images create an honest narrative that's for sure - I guess that summer holidays are in themselves a collection of utter randomness with no two days ever being the same?!

We took a short stroll around the reservoir on Sunday morning which we've not done for far too long. Little B moaned like crazy about being dragged out of the house - it was half past nine so not a ridiculously early time, but still you'd think we were asking him to take an all day mountain hike in some remote, far away place rather than a short 30 minute walk a few miles away. As usual, as soon as we stepped out of the car and began to walk he was pulled immediately out of his funk and absolutely loved being outdoors with both J and I. I resisted the rather strong urge to yell "I-TOLD-YOU-SO!!!" although crikey, it hovered on the tip of my tongue for most of the walk as he was just so happy!! A shame we had to go through such angst to get him there, but it was totally worth it.

Short local walks seem to be the way to go for us at the moment. The weather is so unpredictable that even if you set out in bright sunshine, the likelihood of getting drenched in a sudden downpour is remarkably high. It suits me though, I really don't seem to crave new things or new places at the moment, content to tread familiar paths in well loved locations. I seriously love where I live, and I don't think a day goes by when I don't see the hills surrounding the Attic and give quiet thanks for the fact that I am so happy here.

I think I mentioned in my post last week about visiting the farm shop, we go once or twice a week during the holidays, partly for the amazing fresh produce but also for the chance to walk a couple of easy miles. Plus (and this is a big plus for me personally) you can get really good coffee there, either to drink in at the farm shop café or as a takeout. 

I don't eat a lot of bread (although I do love a bit of sourdough occasionally, or some dark rye bread for my poached egg addiction) but the bakery at the farm shop is fabulous. The bakers make the dough and bake it right there behind the counter so you can watch them doing it and it always smells soooo good. We picked up a ciabatta loaf this time, freshly baked and still warm, gosh it was hard to resist!

If we decide not to spend time in the café then a takeout latté is the next best thing - strolling home through the park while sipping on a hot fresh milky coffee is pretty great - small daily pleasures, I'll take them. I try and remember to pack our bamboo cups in my bag if I think we might be getting a takeout (J has one as well, his is a manly black and red design). I love my cup, it works really well at keeping the coffee hot all the way to the bottom of the frothy deliciousness and best of all it can go straight into the dishwasher when I get home.

As you can see from the splodge of red child in the distance, our walk to the farm shop is very good for a certain nine year old with a shed load of energy humming inside his body. Sometimes he rides his bike, but on Monday he decided to walk, which actually meant he needed to run. And run and run. J and I strolled along with our coffees as Little B raced ahead - I've said this many times on my blog over the years but don't you think there is something so brilliant about the way that children run for the sheer joy of moving their bodies? It's just so lovely to witness.

I love coming home with brown paper bags filled with all the fresh stuff, it makes me feel all inspired for cooking and healthy eating. Those tomatoes......ohmygosh, the flavour, so so good. 

Yesterday morning was a time for errands with my Little Buddy, and lookeeee.........the hand holding is back and I couldn't be more delighted (silent, internal happy mummy dancing). We set out early, first stop a haircut (for him, not me).....

....second stop was some mid morning refreshment for the both of us. We had a lovely little chat over our hot chocolate/cappuccino, about food and books and school and holidays, just the general stuff of life that sometimes needs talking over.

Third/fourth/fifth and sixth stops were a mish mash of essential shopping (drain unblocker, batteries, a birthday present) and non essential shopping which Little B somehow talked me into.

Do you want to know what two things he most wanted me to buy for him, with a heap load of begging and persuasive argument thrown in?

Number One........................

......a giant two foot long bubble wand.

As soon as we got home he was straight out onto the back street making the BIGgeSt bubbles you ever did see....

....and I was right there with him attempting to photograph the BIGgeSt bubbles you ever did see, which is much harder than you might imagine. It was windy and the giant bubbles went sailing up to the rooftops before I could even think about aiming my camera. I managed one very poor shot of a low-flying pair, aren't the colours pretty? 

You want to know the Number Two purchase?

He was so desperate for these that I just didn't stand a chance, I had to allow the indulgent purchase......

......bath marbles. Of course! Just what any boy would want desperately?!

You can see the appeal mind you......they're little mini scented bath bombs and are set out a bit like a pick-and-mix sweet shop, with paper bags for you to select your own collection. You get to choose ten for £3, and well, I figured that if it helps make the whole bath-bed routine a little more fun and not such a grind then they would be worth it. 

Life on the home front has been pretty easy this week to be honest. The Teens pretty much take care of themselves, both of them have been working extra holiday shifts at their weekend jobs (Little Lady waitresses in a café, Little Man works in a really lovely local pub in town). I'm so proud of them, they are saving up their money and seem to be enjoying their independence very much. Little B has perhaps been a bit bored at times, spending his time watching films and gaming a little, but also reading, dressing up and building dens as well, so I guess it all balances out one way and another.

Laughing now, remember at the start of this post I told you about the randomness? Well this is a case in point - here I present to you my breakfast.....crikey, how can you stand the excitement of all this???!!!!!

However....I have the same breakfast every day pretty much and I have to tell you I love it. LOVE it. I put 40g of oats in a bowl with a little splash of milk and some fat free vanilla yoghurt and leave it to soak overnight in the fridge. Then in the morning I add in half a sliced banana and some warm/smushed up berries (frozen "wonky" berries, defrosted/warmed in the microwave for a minute so they go all gloopy). OH my goodness, it's like eating pudding for breakfast, you really must try it.

A cute little posy of the brightest, sweetest summer flowers on my table too, cheering up my days no end. The mini dahlias are surviving the mollusks in the back yard and I am so in love with them.

There is crochet happening too of course - some things that I can't show you just yet which are making me giddy with excitement, and some things that I can show you and will gather together in a separate blog post. I finished off my third lamp post wrap for Yarndale this week, and I think I'm going to write up the little sheep pattern I designed for it. Would you like that? I'm not sure what use a little appliqué sheep will be to anyone, but maybe you would like to give it a go - let me know?

Last week we snook off for a few days for a short little family holiday beside the sea....it was absolutely blissful and I loved every minute of it. I took my usual stack of photos so will share with you in a few days while it's still fresh in my mind. We were so lucky with the weather, it rained of course (this is English summertime after all) but not ever enough to stop us in our tracks. We had such a good time, it was exactly what we all needed last week I think, a blast of fresh sea air and a little bit of somewhere different. Wonderful stuff.

I hope your week is shaping up nicely and that life's randomness is making you happy - tell me what you're eating for breakfast these days, I really would like to know. Honest!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx