Things to love about winter…

As you’ve probably already guessed, winter is not my favorite season. We seem to be having more than our share of bugs this winter, but then there are some bright spots…
Today for instance, lying in the afternoon sun cosied in crochet blankets and cuddling my hot water bottle (and various small children) while reading a good book… Bliss!

This got me thinking about what I love about winter and without any trouble at all I settled on a few favorites:

So now I’m wondering, what would you add to the list – what do you love about the cold winter months? I know some of you (in fact if the stats are correct, most of you) are currently enjoying the midst of the northern hemisphere summer. But no matter where you are in the world, mid summer or mid winter, I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday full of happiness and many small pleasures!  – xo J

Toadstools…

There’s been lots of toadstools and mushrooms out in the past week or so, I keep spotting them when I’m out on my rambles. Our current wet yet still pretty mild winter seems to be encouraging them… and me! I especially like the red and white ones so it’s no surprise these toadstools have found their way into my sketchbook this week. Ive made some more mittens for Maia (and an as yet un-photographed hat for Carter – he’s pretty hard to pin down for photos these days. Ive also done some more work on my red shawl, which I think is about the right size now for a pretty edging… any suggestions? What are you working on this week? What’s inspiring you?

J – xox

PS> I should have mentioned that the crochet mitts Maia is wearing are ones I mentioned a little while back, Im planning on posting a pattern sometime soon 🙂

Recently…

The days are getting shorter not to mention cooler… So the amount of time available for crochet is growing (being that I’m more inclined to stay inside feet up in front of the fire when the weather is gloomy than I am to brave it out of doors). I’ve got a number of projects currently underway, and have recently finished a few projects you’d expect at this time of year.

First up autumn staples – new crochet slippers, I’ve finished a new pair for me, and some for Carter:But you and I both know I couldn’t make some for Carter without making some for Maia, so hers are also almost done… One down, one to go: I’ve also made some new fingerless mitts for both children and I’ll share more on those in a separate post soon… Maybe when I can actually pin Carter down long enough to make a photo or two of his!

I’m still making progress on my navy top, although to be honest Im not loving it as much as I wish I did…It’s grown substantially since I last took photos, which is actually quite motivational!

I’m also working on another shawl. I find shawls very relaxing, I have far too many already but I enjoy making them so much – mostly because they tend to be quite repetitive, which makes memorising the pattern easier (perfect for when the children are creating chaos around me, or when I’m watching TV in the evening), but also because they are fast growing and, of course, beautiful 🙂  So a lot on the go, but never quite enough time to get everything I would like to do done! As always I’d love to hear; what are you working on?

Jxxx

Ps. Apologies if you received a notification of this post twice in you inbox. I’m using the wordpress mobile editor, and accidentally hit the publish button when all I’d added to the post was the photos I intended to use! Opps! 

Saturday morning

A wander in the garden, a little crochet and a cup of tea… is there a better recipe for a Saturday morning? I think not!

I was asked yesterday what I was going to be doing this weekend… and I’ll admit I felt a little apprehensive about admitting my lack of grand plans. But the truth is I relish weekends just now because I feel like the weeks are passing by in a blur… school, work, after school activities, and even birthdays (Carter has turned 6, 6! How can my baby already be 6?).

It’s a welcome relief to have no deadlines to meet, no school bells to beat and no alarms to snooze. Even if it is only for two days…

And I am pleased to report that my top – in stylish navy, don’t you agree –  has grown, to more than double the size pictured here… one side is now complete and the next has began. Bliss!

What do you have planned this weekend? J – xox

I am…

In my world right now I am: Gardening… making the most of the summer that has officially extended into Autumn. These echinacea have been a feast for my eyes all summer long!

Giving up in the battle to eat all the zucchini. My family now flat out refuses to eat anything containing zucchini – but as their palates are not yet refined enough to  detected it grated, it’s surreptitiously making its way into all manner of meals undetected heh heh heh. Question, at what point does a zucchini officially become marrow?? These: Marrows.

Potting? Potterying?? *Making* a whole menagerie of clay animals! Loving getting my hands dirty each week at a hand building pottery class I’m taking this term…

This is Petunia. If you follow my face book page you’ve probably seen quite a lot of her!

Tie Dying… Deciding to tie dye with two children = reckless… There was dye, it was EVERYWHERE. Some even made it onto items of clothing.

I have to admit that for the most part, the results (on the clothes) were fabulous. The same can’t be said for my hands… That black thumb lasted for days! Crocheting… a little easy sweet crochet in sherbert cotton. More on that soon!

Eating this  taste sensation! My current favourite toast topping? Natural peanut butter, banana and chia seeds. Once made it doesn’t last long! For the most part no body in my close vicinity shares my love of peanut butter creations… Do you?

Wishing that summer could last forever, but knowing that as the nights begin to close in that its going to be gone soon… So Ill leave you with this gorgeous monarch one of many loving it up at our place right now before summer slips away.

So now I’d like to know, what are you…

Making

Giving up (it is Lent after all)

Crocheting

Eating

Wishing

Doing?

xoxo – J

A list of things to do for 2015…

This is my to do list for the new year, what’s on yours? xo- J