Reasons to be Cheerful

I've come to the conclusion that I don't like Mondays.  I think the reason is that I have Fridays off which makes my weekend just that bit more enjoyable and as a result I never like returning to work.
I'm sure I'm not the only one.

So being one that always tries to look on the bright side I have given some thought to the reasons why I should feel cheerful.
1) I have my health.  The odd twinge sometimes gets me down but with the help of a good Chiropractor I am coping well.
2) I have a loving and helpful family who encourage me and allow me to live an authentic life.
3) I have a job which pays enough to allow me to do pretty much what I choose to do.
4) I have a roof over head which remains watertight and cosy.
5) I have a Blog which is proving to be very satisfying and of which I am very proud.
6) I have a lovely group of people who are proving what true friendship is all about.  These have come about from my stall and Knit and Natter group.
7) My photographs are to be used on the website for Eastfield Farm, Tickhill, Doncaster following my visit last year. I was very flattered.

8) I have been asked to review a new ebook about lace knitting and can't wait to share my findings.
9) I have lots of different hobbies which keep me busy and make my free time a joy.
10) Monday is out of the way.

There I think I have enough things to be cheerful about, don't you?

Blyth Players

I had a lady call at my stall to buy wool a few months ago and as she seemed to be unsure what to choose I asked her what she needed the wool for.  To my surprise she explained that she was playing the part of Miss Marple in a local production of A Murder is Announced.

Well as you can imagine, I was thrilled to bits to be able to help and she purchased a ball of dark brown chunky wool.  Whilst chatting I found out when the play was running and Steve and I bought tickets.
We spent a very enjoyable evening a couple of weeks ago watching the play and had a few giggles at the first night gafs and blunders.
I loved the set with the oldy worldy touches including the Lloyd Loom chair and beautiful crocheted blanket. My wool had a small part to play but I was very proud.
Well done to the Blyth Players.

Skipton, North Yorkshire

The weather forecast for last Friday was excellent and as I needed to go to a Wholesaler in Bradford we decided to extend our trip and nip to Skipton.

It's lovely there but we never have enough time to really explore.
We did however have a gorgeous half hour trip on the canal in a cute little narrow boat.

Skipton Castle

Squabbling Ducks

There were some great shops and places to eat but alas time was not on our side.  Maybe next time.

Another Trip to Old Moor

Sometimes I find it difficult to keep things fresh and new when blogging.  As I'm sure you will agree, our lives tend to slip in to a pattern and mine is no exception.
We go through phases.  One month it might be canals and narrow boats, then stately homes, another might be pretty gardens and then down the line we might move on the bird watching and nature reserves.  We seem to be in the latter phase at present so you might notice that we keep having repeat trips to the Old Moor Nature Reserve at Dearne Valley, on the road to Barnsley.

I love this place, not only because it has lots of birds but also because the land it is set in is so beautiful.
As you can imagine, there are always lots of wild flowers and as a amateur photographer this gives me plenty of opportunities to practise honing my skills.

Flag Iris

It's great to be able to get up close to nature and the fresh air isn't bad either.

Weekend Crafting

What a great weekend.  Plenty of sunshine and plenty of knitting and sewing.  Who could ask for more?
This should actually be last weeks blog however due to yet another technical hitch I wasn't able to publish anything.
Panic over I am now the proud owner of a brand new mouse for my laptop which now means that the right hand button which has stuck is no longer a problem to me. I can carry on until I can get the laptop fixed, which will probably be a long time as I don't like to be without it.

OK, well first up is my mitred square knitting which I will be making in to a cushion in the near future.  I won't be publishing the pattern as it is a nightmare to explain and I found just what I was looking for here
by typing in the words Mitred Square Blanket. 

I used 4 ply sock wool and because it is space dyed it made these fantastic log cabin effect squares. Very effective, I'm sure you'll agree.
Next up is the bag I have been working on which replaces my old favourite. This one is a little bigger than the original which might prove to be a mistake as I could never find anything in the other as it was.

The front is hand sewn on to wadding and a backing fabric using the Victorian technique of crazy patchwork.
You start with one small piece of fabric and place the second on top, right sides facing. Stitch a small seam and then fold out and press. Continue adding pieces until you have something like mine and then embroider the seams using a stitch of your choice.

I used a feather stitch, which is traditional, as is the black thread.  I also did a little machine embroidery on the plain sections just to give a bit more texture and interest. This is obviously where tradition got thrown out of the window.

I stitched this to a buzzy bee backing and lined it with a caramel coloured fabric.
This bag has already proved really useful and I'm sure I'll be using it for a few years to come.
Well that's about all for now.  I am working on a few other things so they will have their own reveal very shortly.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend and speak soon.

Springwatch in the Garden

I hope you have all been watching Springwatch on BBC 2.  We have and are enjoying it immensely.  I absolutely love Chris Packham. I remember him from the Really Wild Show when he was about twenty years younger with spiky Billy Idol blond hair.  He is very funny and full of the oddest information about the birds and animals on the show.
As far as our own wildlife I would like to introduce you to our very own frog.  We have a tiny pond in our back garden but we have hundreds of tadpoles and at least seven frogs of various sizes.  I find it quite amazing that with just a little bit of effort you can bring quite a large variety of animals and birds in to your garden.
We have several bird feeders and a place for the birds to drink and we happily sit watching them whilst we drink our morning coffee.  It's our own piece of heaven on our own doorstep.