debbie hill

a mouse for the house

2012-01-30T20:28:00.000Z

It can get a little draughty living so close to the sea and my bedroom door has a habit of blowing closed or rattling during the night at times when the gales are blowing. I've been using an old wooden door wedge until now but decided it was about time I replaced it something nicer so made myself one of these sweet mouse doorstops.

I altered the pattern a little and made his ears a brighter colour. A good way to use up some odd pieces of wool.

He also has a nice tail...

mmm...meringues

2012-01-28T22:53:00.000Z

To encourage ourselves to make some new food items this year, my mum and I have made a pact to both make something new each month - a cook-off challenge of sorts. This month: meringues.

I was a bit slow off the starting blocks but managed to get my act together on Friday evening and make some of these mini candy-striped meringues following the recipe from this book (a kind birthday gift from Derek).

I wasn't quite prepared for how long it would take me to whisk up the egg-whites - my hand blender kept overheating so I had to alternate between electric and muscle power - but the results were favourable, if not entirely uniform. Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Derek even gave them a 10 out of 10. (He likes to eat everything though so may not be the best food critic.)

My mum sent me some pictures of her attempts at the meringue. Slightly less successful than mine I'm afraid, and I'm not sure she would appreciate me sharing the results with the public. Maybe just a small picture though, because it made me chuckle:

Sorry mum!

I don't think they were at all edible in the end...but it's still January so there is still time for another attempt! And for February, I think we are going to try scotch eggs. I haven't made one since my first term at secondary school so it will be a good challenge. Has anyone got any good recipes they can share?

tunisian crochet

2012-01-03T20:41:00.003Z

Last night I finished the tunisian crochet case I've been making for my Kindle. It was inspired by this video (which also inspires me to want to visit Iceland).

I like the boxy look of this crochet stitch - it's very thick and feels quite durable. Good for protection.

success!

2012-01-01T15:16:00.001Z

The Christmas chutney turned out to be a big success. In fact, I had cheese and chutney for brunch today (a new year treat). And the christmas day cheeseboard was immense. I counted 12 cheeses. Lovely.

The recipe made about a kilo and a half of chutney which meant I could share it out amongst many small pots for friends and family. I only wish there had been more leftover for me...

I'll definitely try another batch again this year (I might double the quantity next time though!)

happy new year

2012-01-01T14:04:00.000Z

Hello to 2012!
I hope you all had some lovely new years eve celebrations and a wonderful christmas.

I failed miserably to stick to my new years resolutions for 2011. I think I managed about 3 and a half of them. Pitiful.

As a result I'm going to be far less ambitious this year and only make two resolutions:

1. Cook or bake something I've never made before once a fortnight.
2. Throw caution to the wind.

Good luck with all your resolutions this year. It's January now - the month for jigsaws.

fake christmas

2011-12-11T20:02:00.001Z

Some friends of mine hosted a fake christmas day at their house yesterday - which was just like the real thing, only with far more Cava.

I made some crackers for the dinner table, filled with jokes from Dan, fake trivia from Mark and some treats from me. A good group effort, and a great Christmas meal. We also had an evening cheeseboard and I sampled some Smoking Bishop for the first time. I think that's what did me in!

It's been a slow day today - I just about managed a walk along the beach amongst the huge foamy waves. A refresher for the brain.

ps. I found the following joke in one of the pound shop crackers I dismantled for the bangers and thought it too good not to share:

Q. What do you call a chicken in a shellsuit?
A. An egg.

flower ring

2011-11-27T10:53:00.001Z

I made this hanging ornament to send to Yumi.
It was based on this flower ring tutorial from Lola Nova.
It's quite satisfying crocheting round a solid frame.

festive snacks

2011-11-25T18:06:00.001Z

I made some mince pies last night for our knitting meet-up. Yum yum!

I also made some chutney this week, which should be ready just in time for christmas. I'm hoping for a nice taste. The process of making it left my flat smelling quite strongly of vinegar which doesn't fill me with high hopes.

I used this recipe but left out the coriander seeds (yuck!) and one of the red peppers, as when I cut it open I found a moth living inside it (a MOTH!!). Horrible.

I'll let you know the results come Christmas time! I'm looking forward to a nice cheese board.

this is just the beginning...

2011-11-25T11:38:00.001Z

I counted today and there are now 6 shoots in total. It's nice to observe the change in growth each day.

a little chili

2011-11-23T22:55:00.001Z

After a knitting evening a few weeks ago Emily kindly let me take home a couple of mini chili peppers from her flourishing plant to add to my supper. They heated my sausage casserole up a treat - good for winter warmth.

Whilst I was preparing my dinner I decided to try and keep the seeds from inside the tiny chilis and see if I could encourage them to grow. I put them on some damp tissue, sealed them in a sandwich bag and hid them under a blanket (which is the closest it gets to a warm, dark place around these parts).

When I checked back a few days later there were beginning to sprout. What luck!

I've now potted them up, and noticed at the weekend that some shoots are beginning to show above the soil. Let's hope it continues to flourish - enchiladas next year maybe?

bicycle

2011-11-16T20:36:00.001Z

Yumi sent me this tiny little bicycle stamp from Japan - so sweet! What a treat!

I've been having some bike troubles lately - some rotter stole my basket! - but today I got back behind the handlebars and cycled to work for the first time in an age. I had to keep stopping on the way to oil my chain but I got there in the end (semi-smooth riding).

Here's to getting a new basket in the post soon!

dimity

2011-11-14T22:51:00.001Z

My mum and dad donated me their old laundry basket at the weekend to help with my interior space issues. It was given a quick bit of a re-upholstery job first though.

Now it just needs a lick of paint...

cyclamen

2011-11-07T20:34:00.000Z

Yesterday felt a lot like wintertime to me. This may have been because I only managed to stir myself from my slumber at almost two in the afternoon (hibernation?), but it was also a nice crisp cold day.

There's also something about going to the shops while it is getting dark that makes things feel very festive. I think I am ready now. Bring on the chocolate coins!

While I was in the mood to embrace the Christmas spirit I bought an advent candle for our mantlepiece, and a little potted Cyclamen to bring some red and green to our coffee table. Sweet flowers!

Ho ho ho!

lady in red

2011-11-05T17:42:00.000Z

Last week I finished this nice red jumper - just in time for the festive season!

The pattern was from this book (very 80s) and was called 'White Lady', but I opted for a colour change as my last knitting project was this off-white number. This one only took a few weeks to make - thank god for short sleeves - and is nice and soft to wear, although maybe a bit shorter than desired.

I splashed out a bit on the wool for this project as I'm trying to move away from the cheap acrylic stuff that I'm so often tempted by (I'm now confident in my abilities to knit something without going drastically awry). The wool I chose was Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK and it is very soft to the touch. Although while I was knitting I did notice that the colour kept rubbing off onto my hands (I have pink fingerprints on my macbook now!) which I wasn't so keen on. I made sure to give it a wash before wearing it for the first time though and I think that's sorted it out.

And now I am without a knitting project - most unusual. I am trying to spend less time with the needles so am not going to embark on any big projects for a while. At our knitting meet-up this week I made these crochet flowers for my mum's friend...

Small and simple - and instantly gratifying. Maybe I'll make some mini Christmas knits to get me in the festive spirit next.

In other news, I've been very inspired by Emily's posts on indoor gardening so am now attempting to propagate one of our houseplants from a stem cutting. I took a new shoot off the existing plant and have been keeping it in a jug of water for about a week to see if anything would happen.

Today I moved the cutting into a plant pot so fingers crossed it takes root.

I am really quite a useless gardener so if anyone has any better tips on propagation then please do pass them on!

wool filling

2011-10-15T12:53:00.000+01:00

My Woolfiller kit arrived this week. I just had a small practise on a tension square I had knocking around.

I like the effect. I'm going to try and see if I can prick the wool into different shaped patches.

off white

2011-10-14T20:16:00.000+01:00

I finished this cardigan a week or two ago. I was a bit worried when I started knitting it that the wool looked a bit like a dirty white colour but it looks a lot better now the whole thing is finished.

My first raglan knit and I'm very pleased with how it fits!

I even sewed some toggles on. Un hommage à Jonathan Creek.

Making

2011-10-04T21:43:00.003+01:00

I went to the Power of Making exhibition at the V&A on Saturday. It's worth a visit!

My favourite things were the giant Aran knitted rug, the giant crocheted bear and the fingerprint gloves. I also liked the craft table where people were experimenting with using Woolfiller.

I like the idea of this very much, both for mending holes and for adding decoration to knitwear. I've ordered myself a sample pack so that I can try it out. Possibly on my new Aran wool cardigan.

mosaics

2011-10-02T10:12:00.001+01:00

Our last stained glass class was dedicated to mosaics. I was dubious about this at first but it turned out to be a lovely lesson. I managed to finish off the last of my stained glass projects, and then we all sat around the table with some wine and snacks using up the left over pieces of glass.

Most people were creating their mosaics on glass so that they could use them as candle holders (the them of the course it seems...) but I went for the kids option and stuck mine onto a painted wooden block.

A coaster for my desk I think.

living the dream

2011-10-01T12:27:00.001+01:00

I'm really making the most of this lovely later summer weather. I've been paddling in the sea in my lunch breaks and have had a swim most evenings this week. I even had a quick dip this morning as I am off to London in a short while. An October swim!

My tomato plants have also been having a final flourish. I've been collecting handfuls of cherry tomatoes for my lunchbox each day this week.

I'm conscious that the weather is going to turn very autumnal and blustery soon so am soaking up every bit of sun.

low tide

2011-09-27T21:36:00.001+01:00

This evening I cycled home from work in the sea mist, and then made my way along the sand and paddled in the sea while the sun went down.

Days like this make me feel very happy that I live and work by the coast.

Das ist gut!

2011-09-19T21:37:00.001+01:00

I spent my August bank holiday in Berlin this year. A lovely city to visit.

My favourite day was Sunday when Yumi & I went drawing in the Museum für Naturkunde, and then we went to the Flohmarkt am Mauerpark and watched the Bearpit karaoke. It made me smile in a big way.

further adventures in stained glass

2011-09-11T19:24:00.000+01:00

I've now finished my stained glass evening class. For the last few lessons I dedicated my time to making smaller pieces using copper foil and the soldering iron. I find this method far simpler, and less worrying, than using the lead and it was nice to make some bright and colourful little pieces using the leftover scraps of glass.

I'm currently trying to decide whether to hang these birds and leaves in a row across my window, or to create more of a hanging mobile...maybe the window option.

Rockfleet & Achill Island, Ireland

2011-08-22T23:20:00.002+01:00

Next time I need to take my tripod.

stained glass

2011-08-20T12:50:00.000+01:00

I'm currently taking an evening glass in stained glass which is nice and hands on (although almost too hands on as I manage to come home every week with my fingers covered in plasters from the glass splinters).

My first project was this circular window hanging of some peas in a pod. Surprisingly it came out quite close to my initial drawings, even though my glass cutting was far less than accurate.

I'm pleased with it!

one photo

2011-08-14T17:46:00.002+01:00

...from a lovely weekend trip away.

new

2011-08-11T21:11:00.004+01:00

I'm all moved in and mostly unpacked. Hello to Hove!

I'm trying to get used to sleeping on a platform up high - is it bad feng shui to have my whole room under my bed? We'll see...

all change

2011-07-24T23:40:00.001+01:00

I'm moving house and office AND going on holiday this week.
I'm looking forward to not having 1001 things to do - I think I've forgotten how to relax.

family of four

2011-07-04T22:18:00.000+01:00

A gaggle of geese. 50p. Sunday market.

growing

2011-07-01T10:24:00.001+01:00

My tomato plants are growing rapidly, well, apart from the little one in the middle, but this one has just been re-housed to a bigger pot so it should catch up soon.

I am also re-housing myself this month so soon these plants will have a balcony with a sea view. That should help them grow!

south west coast path

2011-06-24T11:43:00.000+01:00

This week I walked the first two legs of the South West Coast Path with Derek and Yumi.

We stayed in a lovely youth hostel in the woods above Minehead, which we walked from to Porlock Ridge on the first day.

Then on the second day we took the mammoth journey up and down cliffs to Lynton. Very tiring. But from the looks of it even the experts find it to be a tricky route. We were lucky enough to stay in the best bed and breakfast I've even been to on that night though so we were well looked after once we arrived, soggy and windswept.

I now feel motivated to do the whole of the coast path so I'm going to try and do a bit each year. At this rate I'll have it finished by the time I'm 50...

blueberry and apple

2011-06-12T13:48:00.001+01:00

Continuing with my domestic weekend, I decided to bake some puff pastry tarts for a barbecue I attended last night.

I based them on this recipe but added more blueberries and cinnamon to suit my taste buds.

They were especially tasty when eaten with some thick vanilla cream, and I even have a few left over to accompany a sunday evening Grand prix roast dinner. With custard tonight I think.

cornflower blue, tomato red

2011-06-11T14:12:00.001+01:00

Hannah gave me some of her tomato plants a couple of weeks ago and today I spent my morning re-potting them and introducing them to the outside world.

I hope they flourish, not perish (like most of my other plants).

I've also recently decided that cornflowers are one of my favourite flowers. I bought a bunch 2 weeks ago and they are still going strong. Although I think the pollen is making me cough...

everyone likes a llama

2011-06-11T13:34:00.000+01:00

I met these two on sunday at Hollycombe.

square

2011-06-02T21:14:00.006+01:00

I managed to accumulate a small pile of crochet squares in my recent break from knitting.

I should probably have had a break from wool craft in general, but at least I am on the way to making a blanket now. I'm also learning some new stitches too.

Here are some that I have tried so far:

My favourites are the cluster pattern and the popcorn pattern. Nice and bobbly.

I'm back onto cardigans again now though...

a ticket to Rye

2011-06-02T19:51:00.002+01:00

Yumi and I took a trip to Rye on Monday. There were flowers on the beach and some ostriches in a field.

We have been working our way through Yumi's book of walks in Sussex and this was walk number one so it is good to have it ticked off the list.

We saw some nice mosaics of flowers and birds in the Nature Reserve which has sparked up my interest in doing a course again. Although maybe in the autumn as I have stained glass to do in the summer.

flowers

2011-05-14T08:46:00.002+01:00

Here is my latest print, which was semi-inspired by my collection of floral embroideries.

This one was carved from vinyl and printed in a couple of different colour ways - blue & pink. My intention is to list some of my prints in my etsy shop in the very near future. Watch this space.

For now, I have booked in another printing session, so I must get carving...

blackberry stitch

2011-05-13T23:50:00.008+01:00

This cardigan took me a total of 12 days to complete. Aran wool & size 7 needles are the way forward.

The pattern can be found over here at Drops design - I changed it slightly and used moss stitch instead of garter stitch following a recommendation from Yumi. Much better. I also think blackberry stitch might be my new favourite technique.

In an effort to wean myself off the knitting (and to use up some of my enormous pile of wool) I am now sticking to crochet squares. The plan is to make a blanket using a different pattern on each square. Good skills training.

ps. Thanks to my mum for sending me the buttons for my cardigan!

further adventures in sock making

2011-05-11T19:32:00.000+01:00

I made these lacy lilac socks on my travels to Ireland and back.

They were from a pattern found in this book and were knitted on two needles instead of four, so I didn't have any of the tension problems of my previous sock-making attempt.

Much better.

My favourite feature is the use of a different colour on the cast-on edge - I'll make sure to try and re-use this idea again soon.

jardin flambeau

2011-05-10T22:47:00.004+01:00

This event blew me away. The best evening I've spent in a park for a long time.
Photos: Barney Livingston | Melita Dennett | Katariina Järvinen | Martin Thomas

wisteria

2011-05-04T21:35:00.002+01:00

On Easter Monday I took a trip to Nymans on my way back to Brighton. There were many different flowers and trees in the gardens and white doves nesting in the dovecotes.

Inside the house, there were sprigs of holly on all the old seats to stop people sitting on them. I'm not sure whether this is better than having a sign though...

dusty rose

2011-05-03T22:15:00.001+01:00

My Aran inspired cardigan is finally finished and what a treat it is. I followed the same basic pattern as I did for this blue cardigan but changed the pattern panels so that they incorporate some irish moss stitch and some cable stitch - very easy & a lovely finished result.

I also used a cotton-mix wool on this one (old rose) for a more summery feel. It's lovely and soft, but also quite warm, which has been handy over the windy bank holiday.

My intention was to have a break from knitting after finishing this project and I did try...but it turns out I have lost the ability to sit on a sofa without feeling the need to pick up some needles. Is this addiction?

Either way, it has led to a productive weekend of knitting and I have almost finished the back of my next summer cardigan:

This one uses blackberry stitch - which is ever so easy. At first I was worried it was going to be a tricky lace pattern which would need all my concentration, but it's the complete opposite, so hopefully I'll be wearing this one soon too. I've gone for short sleeves this time which will be a pleasure rather than a chore.

In other news, I bought 3 loaves of malt loaf today. This is an addiction I can not control.

museum drawing

2011-04-16T11:18:00.001+01:00

Yesterday Yumi and I went to the Brighton museum for a drawing afternoon.
There are lots of interesting artefacts there:

1. Stirrup cup - hare's head.
2. Vietnamese water-puppet
3. Cup modelled on the head of a bulldog.

flowers everywhere

2011-04-14T21:35:00.001+01:00

Especially in Rottingdean. Springtime in primary colours.

and the winner is....

2011-04-03T16:02:00.001+01:00

...Helen at Jolly Good studio.

Congratulations Helen! Just send me a message with your address and I'll pop the place setting print in the post some time this week.

Thanks to everyone for entering - I'm thinking about trying to bring my etsy shop back to life so I can sell some prints online. Watch this space.

nest

2011-04-01T13:39:00.000+01:00

This week I have been having a spring clean - I've donated a nice big bag of goods to the charity shop and have de-cluttered my room.

Last night I turned the living room into a cosy nest for us to knit in. I think I might keep it that way for a few days. Snug.

print giveaway

2011-03-29T22:25:00.001+01:00

No more printmaking course for me - four weeks went by very quickly. Luckily I have a small selection of prints to show for myself and I've now become a member at the studio so can keep myself busy making more.

I thought I'd celebrate by holding a mini print giveaway! If you would like to enter please leave a comment on this post letting me know which of the above four prints you would like and I'll pick a winner out of a hat at the weekend.

Good luck!

charity shop challenge - round 2

2011-03-27T18:54:00.014+01:00

Taking photographs of myself with the self-timer is probably the most dorky thing to do of a weekend.
This month for the charity shop challenge I found a summer dress in a Portslade charity shop for £3.50.

Cherry blossom pink.

watercolour challenge

2011-03-15T18:44:00.002Z

We sat by the seal colony and played watercolour challenge on Inis Mór.

Aran islands

2011-03-13T11:06:00.001Z

Last week Yumi and I went on a mini holiday to the west coast of Ireland. We had a lovely long train journey across the north coast of Wales and eventually made our way to Galway.

When we were there we took a day trip to Inis Mór, one of the Aran islands, where we hired bikes and cycled around the island - it felt like summertime. We also met a friendly lady who knits for a living. She had a whole hut filled with Aran jumpers made by her and her family.

There was also a mini museum exhibit about Aran jumpers which had some interesting information about some of the patterns used on the jumpers. Apparently Irish Moss stitch is used to represent the Carrageen moss which is gathered by the islanders, and the Diamond stitch represents the stone wall enclosed fields which cover the islands. Other stitched like Cable and Trellis are said to represent fishermans nets and most of the stitches have something to do with the sea, which is a huge part of island life.

This has inspired me to use Irish moss stitch and Diamond stitch on my next cardigan, which will be a variation of this favourite.

I also read that most Aran Sweaters on the island are knitted almost entirely from memory following no set pattern. Crazy.

printmaking

2011-02-27T16:58:00.003Z

Here are the results from printing class number two.

I carved this jigsaw print in vinyl. As you can see I forgot to think about the fact that the print is the reverse of what is carved, so I have a back-to-front place setting. Maybe one for the left-handed folks out there?

I'm really happy with how this print turned out - I got to try a few different colour combinations and tried separating out the pieces of the jigsaw as well as printing them together.

This week I did a reduction print, which was semi-successful. I got a bit carried away with my first layer of carving so there wasn't much to work with in the end. A good learning curve though.

I've only got one lesson left as I'm skipping a week to hop over to Ireland, but I'm planning to play more with chine-collé in lesson number four as I really like both the simplicity and the outcome of adding paper shapes of colour. Très bon.

charity shop challenge

2011-02-26T14:53:00.001Z

Lucy invited me to take part in the Charity shop challenge so here is my first attempt at showcasing some of my finds.

Half charity shop challenge, half knitting project this month.

I got this purple skirt for £3 in a charity shop in Portslade a year or two ago. I'm not sure this photo does it justice though. Bad self-portraiture.

The knitted waistcoat was a skills test to practice my cable and fair isle knitting. Good practice, although I'm not so sure about the finished result.

And I'm wearing a trusty M&S thermal vest underneath. Cheating? Maybe. Warm? Yes.

let the sun never set

2011-02-25T18:43:00.000Z

On Saturday we spent some time in the Citadella in Victoria.
I had this song in my head all day.

let's all go to gozo

2011-02-24T22:38:00.003Z

A very lovely time was had in Malta.

Highlights:
• A very rocky ferry ride.
• Feasting on Maltese bread, seafood & rabbit.
• Spinning on the sand.
• Walks along cliffs and past prickly pears and orange trees.
• Group naps.
• Our very helpful tour guide and holiday planner, Daniel.
• Our knight in shining armour, David.
• Dancing around the swimming pool and dipping our feet in the sea.
• Beat the best & the aeroplane game.

Lowlight:
• Dining at (possibly) the worst restaurant in the world. Oh well. I suppose you can't win all the time.

A super break - Żminijiet tajba!
And, only 3 more days at work and it's another holiday for me. Jolly good.

here comes the sun

2011-02-17T20:40:00.000Z

I'm going on holiday tomorrow. Perfect!

night school

2011-02-16T23:22:00.001Z

Last week I began a short evening course in soft woodcut and vinyl printing and I'm really enjoying it. It's lovely to be able to do some hands-on making after a day of working in front of a computer.

The prints shown above are the mini test pieces I created last week - one in wood and one in vinyl. I feel like I should really embrace the natural feel and texture of the wood, but I found the vinyl so much easier to carve.

Tonight I ate shortbread and worked on a jigsaw print which I'm really pleased with - I especially enjoyed playing around with different colours and chine-collé effects. And next week I might try a reduction print - although I fear this may be a hard method to grasp.

Fingers crossed!

ps. Some of my daffodils are now saying hello.

petit bouquet de fleurs

2011-02-15T18:45:00.001Z

I bought myself a small bunch of daffodils.
I hope they show their faces soon.

so-so sewing

2011-02-14T18:39:00.000Z

For Yumi's birthday I made her a knitting needle roll to carry her needles and accessories on her travels around the world.

I found the floral fabric in a charity shop (an old ironing board cover) and used this tutorial as a guide. It turned out much better than expected! Maybe my sewing skills are improving.

piñata

2011-02-13T20:58:00.000Z

It was Yumi's birthday this weekend, so we took to the park in the (almost) spring sunshine to bash the piñata we have been making over the last few weeks.

We had grown quite attached to him so it was quite traumatic to see Derek decapitate him in one bash. Poor Johnson! It was lovely to see the glitter and streamers blowing in the wind though.

Lots of fun to make, and lots of fun to break. And a long-term new years resolution ticked off too.

adventures in sock making

2011-01-28T11:50:00.002Z

This is the result of my first attempt to knit in the round. Semi-successful: warm but wonky.

I started these socks in December, but after knitting the first one I decided that I wanted to make another pair for Danni, so I interrupted the project in order to finish the second pair in time for Christmas. This might have been a bit of an error as once I returned to my initial pair I must have been more relaxed with my stitching (less tense = less tension) and ended up knitting a much wider sock. So now I have one sock that fits me, and one sock that would be more suitable for bigfoot.

I will continue to wear them though. To protect my toes from frostbite. And maybe next time I'll make a neater pair of socks. I just bought this book which I hope will be a big help in refining my skills.

Gorilla gorilla

2011-01-24T23:06:00.000Z

At the weekend I went to London to celebrate George & Milkan's birthdays. We ate food at a lovely Turkish restaurant and visited the Hunterian museum and saw lots of specimens in jars.

I think this is a place you could spend all day drawing. Just make sure you're not feeling queasy before you go in.

patience

2011-01-24T22:30:00.003Z

Lately it feels like I've spent a large proportion of my time in the post office queue (see Figure 1). Fortunately all this waiting has been worth it and I've ended up picking up some nice treats at the end of the long long lines.

In fact, the last month has led to a whole host of treats from kind friends and family with the festive period and birthday double act. Thanks to all. I am very lucky.

jigsaw january

2011-01-10T22:12:00.003Z

I often like to do a jigsaw puzzle in the winter months and this weekend I put together this lovely silver jubilee portrait of the Queen.

Good recovery from panic about dentistry (which wasn't that bad after all).

this week I've mostly been thinking about...

2011-01-06T20:54:00.001Z

EXTRACTION!

I'm having my wisdom tooth taken out in the morning and I am 110% terrified. Wish me luck.
I will definitely need to sit with a cat on my lap tomorrow afternoon.

a year in knit

2011-01-05T00:04:00.001Z

Last year was a productive year for wool craft. I finally mastered the art of knitting clothing and learnt how to crochet more than simple blanket squares.

I made: my first cardigan, a warmer cardigan, many crochet flowers, a lace collar, a jumper, a diary, a crochet shawl for mother, some mini scarves for cats, my favourite blue cardigan, a 1-day bobble hat and one and a half pairs of socks.

Despite vowing to knit a bit less often, I still want to try out some new things in the coming months, so have a couple of knitting resolutions to add to the list for 2011:

• A fair isle jumper. I got this magazine (with patterns) for Christmas. So colourful & exciting.
• Some cable knit - I've heard from many sources that this is easier than it looks.
• Knitted bunting (because I must use up all those odds and ends from my wool basket).

But first, tax return...

11 things for 2011

2011-01-03T18:57:00.002Z

2010 was a grand year. There were definitely more highs than lows.
And I did pretty well on my new years resolutions too.

So here are some more for this year:

• Challenge myself - Last year it was the London to Brighton. This year maybe paragliding...
• Make an item of clothing.
• Go swimming more often.
• Read more books and knit (a little) less.
• Draw more. I'm going to aim to illustrate at least one shopping list a week from now on.
• Have dim sum.
• Eat lobster.
• Visit new places (Malta & Berlin to begin...)
• Take a packed lunch to work at least twice a week.
• Make and bash a piñata. I now have a kit, thanks to Yumi.
• FONDUE!!! (This is an old old old resolution that must be completed).

27

2011-01-02T11:52:00.001Z

It was my birthday on Thursday.
Rosie made me the best cake I think I've ever seen & I received lots of treats from other friends & family (including this owl mask from Brian).

I also ate lots of Polish food. A favourite.

bon natale

2011-01-01T23:52:00.001Z

I had a really lovely Christmas this year.
Lots of warmth, rest, playing games and spending time with people who I don't see often enough.
It felt like a holiday.

a post about post

2010-12-11T09:21:00.000Z

This is long overdue, but I just wanted to say a big thank you to Thereza for the lovely package she sent me as part of her giveaway (there are better photos on her blog).

Magnets & booklets & illustrations galore. It's all so lovely, and a physical reminder of why I love to follow her blog.

Thanks once again Thereza!

a christmas lamb

2010-12-08T18:18:00.002Z

on the needles

2010-12-07T19:39:00.003Z

I'm trying something new.
I think I like knitting in the round.

bobble

2010-12-06T18:34:00.001Z

I hit a wall with my planned sock making over the weekend - partly due to me buying the wrong weight of yarn, and partly because all the shops in Brighton seemed to be 'closed due to adverse weather conditions'.

I took this opportunity to make something to keep my head warm. My first bobble hat! You can find the pattern over at Ravelry. It only took me a day, and it has ear flaps for extra warmth.

I also think this was the first time I've ever made a bobble that hasn't fallen apart...

...yet.

wrap up warm

2010-12-05T15:58:00.002Z

A cosy winter knit. My best so far.

snow & ice

2010-12-03T10:33:00.001Z

I do like to be outside in the snow!
Although I slipped on the ice yesterday and landed on my bottom. Bad times.

advent

2010-12-01T23:24:00.002Z

It's the first day of advent today (I had a Santa-shaped chocolate for breakfast) and it definitely feels a lot like Christmas - much snow! It's a shame I don't work far enough away to get a day off for sledging but I'm looking forward to my walk to work tomorrow...it'll give me time to finalise my playlist for this month's mixtape.

I've been finding it really hard to do anything other than huddle under a blanket in the evenings this week. It's tough having a fridge for a house. It has given me time to finish off my cardigan though. Now all that is left is to find and sew on some buttons and it'll be ready to go. I need all the warm winter knits I can get at the moment.

Next task: Very warm socks (& possibly more scarves for cats).

glass

2010-11-22T23:13:00.001Z

Tonight I made some stained glass biscuits for Rosie (a birthday treat). It wasn't my most successful baking venture - only about 50% of them made it off the baking tray in one piece and the recipe was lacking in flavour (not enough ginger, not enough orange, not enough sugar), but they look pretty. Nicely coloured windows.

I also got the glass piece back that I assembled on White night. Not bad at all for a bit of late night crafting. I like the shapes.

In other news, thanks to Lyzi & Deborah for their kind posts about my blog.

results

2010-11-14T09:04:00.000Z

A successful biscuit batch to mark many occasions.
Let's hope the result today is just as favourable.
I have a bet to win.

baking with mouse

2010-11-12T16:02:00.001Z

Friday baking and blog updating. I'm going to try and illustrate the shopping lists more regularly from now on.

Also on the internet, Hannah and Alan have a lovely new blog on the go (A year in Eggs) & Yumi has finally gone public with her toilet rating scheme.

one month

2010-11-09T22:34:00.004Z

One month later, and with 28 days worth of knitting, my diary is complete.
As you can see, some days were big knitting days and some days not so much. But it was a nice easy project to do, with not too much to think about, and now my neck is very warm.
Snug.

mouse

2010-11-08T22:45:00.002Z

I ate a lot of cheese this weekend, and made some very pink rose flavoured ice cream. It was a bit overpowering.

I also got this nice little mouse from the market. He's handy for holding things.

fireworks

2010-11-05T13:42:00.000Z

I really wanted to cycle to Lewes tonight for the fireworks, but instead I fear I'm going to have to stay in with my handkerchief and a blanket.

under the weather

2010-11-04T22:57:00.002Z

Cream of tomato soup to warm my insides.
This blog is 4 years old today. A long time...

bed rest

2010-11-03T21:51:00.002Z

My laptop is getting some time off as I have a new computer to play with in the office.
This means I get to walk to work and back with a spring in my step.
I could even skip.

red

2010-11-02T21:03:00.003Z

I got a new bag from the flea market.
It has 7 different pockets.
It's been taking me a very long time to find my keys.

november

2010-11-01T23:37:00.002Z

I can't believe it's November already. I'm not at all ready to be walking home from work in what feels like the middle of the night.

Last year I think this month was one of the worst in history so I'm hoping for a big improvement this time. Today started well when I spied a couple of pigeons perched in the sun outside my window.

The weekend was also a winner. We hosted another pumpkin carving evening and spent saturday exploring the events at White Night.

Let's keep this up please!

saturday lost, sunday finds

2010-10-26T23:48:00.003+01:00

This weekend I spent almost all of Saturday in recovery after a rather splendid, gin-cocktail fuelled, 1920s party on Friday. To make amends, I got up at 6am on Sunday to watch the grand prix and then busied myself around town:

• Wooden parrot from the market.
• Embroidered sweater from Frock me!
• Cardigan in progress.

(These dark evenings are not brilliant for photography).

red orange yellow green blue indigo violet

2010-10-25T19:26:00.003+01:00

I made another mixtape!
Colour themed this time.
I like this game.

hello winter coat

2010-10-19T22:45:00.003+01:00

My toes are frozen and my little finger has gone numb, but luckily the sun is still shining.

diary

2010-10-15T13:19:00.000+01:00

I've been inspired by Sandra Juto and have taken up a neck worm style project so I can have a break from knitting complex patterns.

I've given myself the rule that I have to change colour every day so the finished piece will end up being a bit like a knitting diary. The sequence above shows a week's work. I expect my progress to slow a bit from now on.

...especially now I have a proper job. Career woman.

Cheval

2010-10-12T21:47:00.002+01:00

Yesterday I went to see A Town Called Panic (Panique au village). Tres bon!
I'd like to watch the TV series now.

mixtape for me

2010-10-09T10:04:00.001+01:00

I received a mixtape in the post from Joe this week and it's nothing short of amazing. Cut paper, dancing illustrations and 2 discs of music - GREAT! This definitely makes up for not receiving one last month.

Joe has posted a video to the flickr group which shows all the moving parts in their full glory. I think I'm going to have to up my effort with next month's attempt.

knit

2010-10-03T18:20:00.001+01:00

I've just finished knitting my first jumper. I'm not sure about the sleeves on this one yet (although I'm sure they'll grow on me) but I think the lacy pattern looks pretty grand.

Next on the cards (or the needles): some warmer winter projects and treats for christmas.

I'm going to try and have both a crochet and a knitting project on the go from now on so I can pick and choose. I also need to do more reading. This is a must.

in the Ardèche

2010-10-01T09:23:00.001+01:00

Three weeks ago I skipped the country for a few days and travelled to rural France for a long weekend away.

It was such a perfect end to the summer - we swam in the river, ate our weight in cheese, attempted a bike ride, played sunset featherball and spent the evenings eating, playing games and doing some stargazing. The only thing I wasn't so keen on were the house visitors.

And now it's October...gosh.

i'm trying

2010-09-27T20:53:00.002+01:00

"A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do." Bob Dylan

two's a pair

2010-09-23T17:51:00.011+01:00

My contribution to a giant game of memory that is being held at the V&A this Friday. Come along for some fun and games! I hope to make a fleeting visit.

Victor & Raul

2010-09-20T23:53:00.001+01:00

A nice weekend spent celebrating l'anniversaire de mon pere.
Card games, double puddings, water features and too much Tom Petty.

If I had a zoo...

2010-09-17T19:12:00.002+01:00

It's mixtape time again.

This month I went with the theme of animals and for the cover I allowed myself the length of each song to cut and paste the animals out of paper. I wonder if you can guess what all of them are? OR better still, the song?

Note: Animals may not be anatomically correct.

de nouvelles choses

2010-09-06T21:36:00.004+01:00

• A housewarming present for some friends.
• Almost half a jumper.
• Holiday time!!!

I'm off to France on Friday for a long weekend away. Unfortunately we're not cycling there as first planned, but there are some bikes awaiting us so hopefully we'll be able to go for a quick pedal.

Bring on the camembert!

isolation & ice lollies

2010-08-31T22:42:00.003+01:00

What a grand extended weekend it has been!

Dinner & scrabble with old housemates, cuddles with cats, cliff top hiking, a ride on the volks railway (but no ride back...), markets and tea and swimming in the sea. And yesterday a day trip to Arundel which included some picnicking, strolling and boating.

The book told us we would feel isolated as we walked further from the lake but actually it just felt like we were in Jurassic Park (the scenic bit, not the deadly bit). A lot of fresh air!

And we came 3rd in the pub quiz last night. What luck! Banana skids all round.

Now back to work...

treats and treasures

2010-08-31T11:42:00.000+01:00

Treasures from the Sunday market: a thimble shelf, embroidery & free cookie cutter.
Treats from Malta: A miniature tea set from Dan.
PERFECT!

cliff tops & cows

2010-08-29T17:10:00.005+01:00

Yesterday we hopped on the bus and travelled along the coast to the Seven Sisters Country Park for a spot of hiking, watercolour challenge and sea air.

We walked along the river, had a picnic on the beach and then walked up to the cliff top to see the views. On the way back we got to amble through a herd of sleepy cows. Lovely!

And in the evening we watched Atonement and spied the Seven Sisters once again. A nice coincidence. Now for something to do on Bank holiday monday...