This time last year....

I went from looking like this.

Excuse the hospital room but this was the last chance to get the only photo of me being pregnant.

To having my darling daughter

It was a very strange way to have spent the morning of new years eve but will make her birthday very special and memorable. 

This year has completely flown and I feel like I need to put the brakes on, but 2012 is almost here.

My little Pickle has changed so much, it's hard to believe that the photos are the same child!!!

  

So as we celebrate the first year of her life, My family and I wish you a wonderful New Year and a 2012 that is filled with laughter, love, health and fun. xxxxx (and lots of wool and crafts!!!)

It's here....

Well the evening of Christmas Eve has finally arrived. We are so excited...

Our gingerbread house is ready, although it would have more trimmings if we wouldn't have been hungry whilst decorating it.

Complete with a Lego Father Christmas. 

I have finally finished my Custard scarf for my mum

I'm so sad, I have loved making this scarf. I need to find a new knit to replace it.

And finally, a few pictures of out Christmassy home

                                       

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with love, laughter and fun xxxxxxxxxx

Keeping them and me busy

Well, we have just 4 more sleeps till Father Christmas arrives and my boys have been sooo excited. I have tried to get as many thing for them to do as I can. I remember the week before Christmas when I was younger, that feeling that it was never going to be the 25th!!

We have been awash with cards from their school friends and they have been filling every side of my kitchen. So yesterday I gave them the task of making some card garlands.

We just sellotaped the cards to some string and then fixed some raffia to it and tied it to the banisters. It takes up no room but lets them show off their cards. 

This afternoon we are in the process of making a Gingerbread House, (if I stop eating all the dough!) I found the recipe here and so far its going good. 

I've also been making a box of these paper wheels to make into a garland, I'm using the off cuts of wrapping paper so just need to put it together. 

They are from Christmas Crafting In No Time and are a great way to use up all those scraps. I've make a few more since this photo.  Not sure where to put them yet.

I also managed to finish my wreath for my front door on Sunday, I used and artificial wreath that I get out every year. I added some dried pomegranate, (which I have been drying in the cupboard for a few weeks) battery lights and some bright red ribbon.

Then after Christmas I can strip it all off and reuse it next year. 

I hope you are having a good week and are not to stressed by the Christmas craziness. xxxx

And breathe......

The last week has flown by and I finally feel like I can take a breathe. The boys finished school on Friday and the weekend was spent swapping presents with friends and generally rushing around.

Today I have spent indoors wrapping the last of the presents, whilst it has been grey and wet outside.
I have finished a few of my Christmas projects and have really wanted to get on the computer and share them with you.

Firstly........

I got this fantastic Alexander Henry fabric called 'All dash away' and as I'm having a complete addiction to Christmas cushions it had to be made into one. It's not from this years designs but I've really loved this pattern for a while and got it from this shop on Folksy.

Then I managed to knuckle down and finish my cross stitch and that also had to become a.......

Yes, you've guessed it, another cushion!
This was a design by Emily Peacock,  Christmas Cross Stitch which was in CrossStitcher Magazine. It's my first real cross stitch  and I have loved every minute of it. It was designed as an apron, but I feel that I will get more pleasure from it being a cushion. Although no-one is aloud to actually use it, it must sit and look pretty ;-) .
I have to say, I fear the addiction is also including pom pom trimmings and polka dot fabric.....here are their backs!

 

Lastly I have finished my red NOEL. They took longer than these ones, but I also had so many others projects being juggled at the same time.

They were meant to be for my Godmother, but she left for a cruise on Friday and I only got them sewn together this morning!!! So that means they can spend this year with me and it gives me plenty of time to make a set for her next year. 

I hope you are all enjoying the last few days before Christmas and are not too stressed. It is wonderful to see everyones preparations for Christmas on Blogland and to see the wonderful different ways everyone celebrates. xx

One A Day......

I've been going great guns this week working on my Custard scarf. I think it's because I know there is still so many other things to get done, that I need this finished.
I have been able to do 2 blocks of the repeated pattern each night, and pink marks the spot where I was last week.

Now, I asked you lovely people out there last week about Pom Pom Makers. Everyone said they had not used the machine but the cardboard ring method. The lovely Sarah at Crafts From the Cwtch suggested Pinterest, and wow what a wealth of pom pom making tips did I find.

Here is my attempt at making them ..... using my hand!! (it did suggest forks but I wanted bigger!)

And here is my finished garland

It's quite a dark picture, but I love the garland. I would like to add some more but time ran out, at least I got the 7 done for this week.

Finally, I know this isn't One a Day, but I hope you don't mind me adding this on the end!!!

I was given the Liebster Blog award last week from Janette at The Green Dragonfly.
Liebster means 'Dearest or Beloved" in German, and I was stunned to be one of the people she picked. Especially as I love the other blogs she picked as well.
It is suggested that you then past the award onto 5 of your favorite blogs, so here goes.......


Deb at A World of Imagination

Sarah at Crafts From the Cwtch

beberouge

Hilly T at Hilly Town Blue

Kashi at Kashi's Corner

Thank you so much to Janette, it really is an honor to be past this by you. I love your tutorials and your blog is so inspiring  xx

Well now I'm off to Gingerbread Girl's to see the magnificent progress from everyone else.

One a Day

This week I have been able to keep up with my One a Day. I have done 10 rows of my custard scarf each evening and it is so lovely to knit.

The arrow shows where I was last week, and I thinking I'm just over a third done. So I might have to do two a day, to get it done within good time for Christmas.

Now I need some advice from you all(this is the greatest thing about the blogging community).
I really want to make a Pom Pom garland but can't face the thought of pushing wool though a cardboard ring :-(
I have seen some pom pom makers on Amazon, but need to know if anyone has used them and if so, which ones are any good?
I though I could add one of these each day onto my One a Day and would have a garland in no time.

I had some fantastic Christmas fabric arrive this week, which I want to make some more cushions with tomorrow. I think I may be addicted to blankets and cushions!! This week I also want to find the time to make some granny squares for this wonderful competition over at Stocki, Jill has start a 'Beautiful Blooger Blanket of 2012' which sounds wonderful.

Thanks so much for your lovely comments last week about my scarf, it really is so lovely that people take the time to leave a message. I'm now off to Gingerbread Girls to see all the fantastic projects everyone has been working on.

Pinch Punch.....

First day of the month!! Well December is here and hasn't it arrived sooo fast. I feel it I blinked and November was gone. I have been fiddling with my photos and have managed to create a collage of November photos. (Hope it works!!)

Get on me!!

I feel that last month I got quite a bit done, and I love how other people do a recap of the month. So that was mine.

Yesterday saw me receive my Pip Lincolne book Make Hay! While the Sun Shines from Kirsty at That Crafty Fish. It was so exciting and I have already spent far to much of my housework time staring at the great projects. Here are a few of my favorites

Gorgeous reindeer tape wrapped parcel 

Here it is!

Beautiful crochet neckless, now on my to do list!

Crochet baubles!!

Make your own tape, such a clever idea

Well, I'm off to see which will be my first project and I have to say a massive thank you to Kirsty for having her give away.

Temporary One a Day

With Christmas fast approaching and no more hexagons made at the end of last week, I have had to make a change to my One a Day.

I wanted to start Jane Brocket's Mustard Seed Scarf for part of my mums present.

 

It's from The Gentle Art of Knitting and works in a repetition of 10 rows. So I thought as each block of 10 rows takes about 40 mins it would be good for  One a Day.

Here is my progress this week.

I am using Rooster almerino aran in a colour called custard, which is why this is now called my 'Custard Scarf'. It has been a dream to knit so far because the wool is beautiful, but I do have to concentrate as I have to do lots of counting. 

I hope all the other One a Dayer's have had a good week. I know from last week I'm not the only one to hibernate a bigger project for a Christmas  craft-a-thon !!! 

Pop over to Gingerbread Girls to see all the fabulous updates. 

On the wrong foot!! and a win....

So this weekend has been more than a little crazy, my Sister was staying at my parents for her Christmas visit and we were doing Sunday lunch as an early Christmas dinner!!
But this early visit, also meant that presents had to be finished or I would have to spend lots of money on postage nearer the time. So, Saturday found me in front of the sewing machine trying to finish a Christmas cushion.
I had decided that it needed pom poms! Why!
After nearly an hour in front of the machine, trying to fight the pom pom trimming through I realised I forgot to change the foot on the machine! After far to much mumbled swearing at myself and just another 5 mins!!! I finished this

I never make anything to give, unless I really like it, but this I loved. I used spotty fabric for the back and even popped a bell on his hat. (terrible picture but I was rushing to get it wrapped)

        

Even the boys were impressed, and they never notice what I'm up to. (Unless it involves a football!)
The rest of the evening went to wrapping things up and I have to say I did get a little help from a sneaky glass of wine.

 
I think Sunday was successful, everyone enjoyed themselves and present were exchanged.

Then this morning I logged on and looked at my top sites and saw 'That Craft Fish' had updated. I reading through seeing who the winner was of the gorgeous Pip Lincolne book Make Hay While the Sun Shines and it was ME!! I couldn't believe it, I re read the post three times to check!! I'm so excited. I found Kirsty's blog when I was looking for some different buttons and came across her shop. I ordered the most wonderful spotty buttons and wanted alot more but had to resist!! I have been recently gazing at her amazing felt, you really need to have a look at her shop.
I'm off to jump around the kitchen....

Zips away

Today I have been so productive, unfortunately for my family not on the home front but on the sewing machine!!!

I have been dying to make some Christmas cushions with this fabric,

but I couldn't tell you the last time I used a sewing machine, so was a little nervous. As I didn't want to mess up the real one (as it is to be a present) I decided to make a practice one first.
I had some fabric from Cath Kidson which was a second so was fairly cheap(!!) and using this wonderful set of instructions I managed to produce this.

It even has a zip and a lovely little tag saying 'To someone special'.

I am so impressed, it even goes with the plain green one from M&S. 

The tutorial was really clear, but I do think it's a little bit too big for my pad also I did buy the zip too long and sewed the tag in the wrong way around (Whoops). So it was lucky I made a trial one. 

I'll hopefully get to complete the Christmassy ones with pom poms over the weekend and will pop up some pictures once their done. 

Now I'm off to try and find a dinner out of store cupboard finds!!! Beans on toast anyone?

One.... every other day

This week it has gone Christmas craft crazy in our house, and my hexagon blanket has been sorely neglected :-( I received my new wool and was able to finish off the loose ends from last week and complete 3 hexagons this week. I have got 6 started, but that is where they have stayed!

Please ignore the awful photo, the light is dreadful today!

I fear I may have set myself too much of a mammoth task, to make as much homemake christmas pressies as possible.

My blanket is having to share my time with..........

a scarf I'm starting for my mum with this gorgeous Rooster almerino aran and my cross stitch for my christmas cushion. I have also got another NOEL on the go... HELP!!!

And (as if I'm not about to be buried under the list!!!) as some of you may have seen I also went to a sock knitting class on Saturday and was amazed by what I learnt. We made a mini chunky sock in class and then was sent home with the wool to make a full size one and are is my efforts!!

     

They are very chunky but this means that you get a sock very quickly and get to practice the pattern without forgetting what you've learnt. It was great fun and I really enjoyed learning a new skill. 

So it will be chunky socks all round this year!!

I hope the other One a Dayer's have had a good week and you really should have a look here to see all the wonderful progress.