May Roundup........

...........in pictures.

My little way of reminding myself what I have achieved each month.

Sorry if I have been a bit quiet this week. As usual I have fallen behind with everything after feeling unwell the other week......then Baby Bear thought it would be a great idea to give me his chesty cough and muggy cold! So, this week, as it is half term, I am taking a little back seat to rest a little, spend time with the Bears and try and play catch up with the 'real world'!!!!!

Be back real soon!

Happy Tuesday!

xxx

R & R?...........

It would be nice if you could step off the fast train you are on sometimes................just pause for a while......take a deep breath...........re-energise and feel ready to step back on. Life isn't like that unfortunately! 

A busy weekend away for a family birthday gathering. Unfortunately, I was under the weather for most of it, but I was glad to be there. Just an unexpected late night drive home and then having to wait up to ridiculous hours in the morning putting on two loads of school uniform wash, because I was behind last week with illness.

So, today, a HUGE amount to do. I need tooth picks to keep my eyes open, but most importantly, a good cuppa in a pretty cup. That always perks me up and keeps me going just that little bit longer! 

Sorry, i'm behind in my visits, it's going to take me 'til the end of the week to catch up with all the goings on in blogland!

Happy Monday!!!

xxx

Head over Heels.......

.............in ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤with................

❦♥❀♥ Betsy and Frank ♥❀♥❦

I have never really thought about wanting to make any crochet toy/animals before........but I came across this book whilst browsing Amazon a few weeks ago, and it caught my eye.

Image from Amazon

I couldn't resist giving it a go. The book is lovely. It's quirky. It's me. This book gives these cats such a personality! They have an abundance of character which was what drew me to them.

I made Betsy first, as a test run and loved her so much immediately. Trouble was, the Bears love her as much, if not more!!!!! She did look really lonely though..........so along came Frank to keep her company.

Betsy came with us on our hols. She enjoyed playing with Baby Bear. She played Hide and seek.......

and got a bit stroppy when the game was over and she wanted to play more!!!

She enjoyed lazing in the afternoon sun............

And when it all got a bit much, she was found in the shade watching the fish and getting hungry!

Betsy is definitely the more outgoing........she loves adventure............

It is Frank........

The younger brother, who is the quiet one. He just likes his Strawberry!

They are happy to know that some more of their friends will be on their way soon to say hello and make playtimes REALLY FUN!!!!!!!

'So....what shall we do now?'

'Ahhhhhhh good choice!!!!!!!!'

'Okay Betsy....enough lounging I want to play....come on.....get up!!!!!!'

"My turn to count....."

"Look harder........."

"You went off and left me, I was up there for ages........"

'Don't leave me....play with me some more?'

'Love you Brother....'

'Love you big sis'......'

Forever Friends

Time for bed...

Night Night........

It was good for the Bears to play with them as I saw what worked and what needed adjusting to make them better. I am amazed how much Baby Bear has taken to them. There has always been an array of soft toys in the house (I have a real soft spot for Jelly Cat), but the Bears have never really bothered with them. Frank and Betsy seem to go everywhere with Baby Bear, it's really rather cute! I am really glad that they are getting used and loved. I just am so in love with these guys myself, will have to make another one just for me! Even the eldest Bear has asked for one to be made for him and he's 11! That made me laugh, but I loved that he wanted one, so one will be made up in the colour of his choice! 

I think I could quite easily become addicted to making these.............

xxx

Down in the Wonderful Woods...........

..........Look beneath you and see such a beauty............

Like little balls of fluffy cotton wool, Arn't they just the most beautiful things when you take a closer peek! Each seed like a teeny tiny little fairy parasol! 

Have a super duper fantabulous day!!!!!!!

xxx

An Apple A Day...........

...........So, how many of you have gone out and got one?

What am I talking about?

The eagerly awaited first issue of Mollie Makes.

I couldn't wait to grab my copy, and boy it did not disappoint!

I have to say, if I am totally honest, I have issues with craft magazines of all sorts. Their front covers just have absolutely no appeal for me. Now, in their defense, I have bought the odd one, when a cover piece sentence has really struck me, but that is not often. And also, my mother-in-law does send me the odd copy through the post, and often as I flick through I find one or two things that I want to try....but in general, if I do crafty then it's from a book. I'm a real homes magazines kind of gal, so to find a craft magazine that features homes that are of a crafty inspirational angle, then that does it for me!

This one promised to be different. Beautiful eye catching front cover, gorgeous drool over pictures and photos, awesome features pages....dottie angel and Lola Nova amongst others. Printed on quality paper, beautifully presented, definitely a mag you will want to collect, look after, keep referring to and have for a long time. I really hope that they keep up the amazing standard they have set. Definitely the mag for me!

So, as you can tell from the pictures, I got a bit carried away with the front page project! Just LOVED them........COMPLETELY FELL IN LOVE WITH THEM!!!!!

Quick and easy to do, I had so many odds and ends of cotton yarn to use up, perfect for this. After a couple I remembered the pattern in my head so whilst it was fresh in my mind I carried on! So, well whether they are practical or not, they will be used! One in each of the Bears lunch boxes, one for my bag, one even for Mr H! And a few to keep in a bowl and just stare at longingly!!!!!!

Seriously I am a nut! These became the focus at the weekend. My blanket progress was slower . I did manage to get a few squares made, so my total so far is 317. I have just 115 to do. Wow, still a fair amount and I don't even reckon that I will be half way on the make it stage. It will take forever to sew together and then another forever to sew all the ends in! I'm so sure that it will be worth it though!

Nothing else was really done at the weekend. By Thursday we were all getting attacks of the sneezles, so by Saturday, Mr H was in bed and I soldiered on until I hit the brick wall midday Sunday. An evening on the sofa watching Practical Magic cheered me up no end! Love that film, want to live in that house!

Right, cup of tea, drool some more over the apple cosies and then crack on with all the mundane that I didn't do at the weekend! I have the wanties for Lola Novas Garland tutorial too. Need to look out some ribbons next. I am feeling the crafty love! So much to do and so little time!

Cheerio all,

Have a super Duper Monday!!!!!!!

xxx

What's in a name?..............

...........Have you noticed?........... the ever so slight bloggy name change? I have been pondering whether to do this for a while. When I started this blog, I had finished my job. I was entering down a new path. I had the time to start on a crafty journey, something I had wanted to do for a while. The blog was going to be my way of recording what I was doing. To jot down a few crafty thoughts, record my makes. I didn't think anyone would really find me, or read me. It was just for myself really. I wasn't really 100% sure of how it all worked if I was honest.

Well.......almost two years down the line and my blog has become something completely different to what I had originally thought it would be. It has become so much more. It has my makes, but it has a lot more of me in it, my daily life, all my loves, my highs, my lows and lot of thoughts! This blog is far more than just crafty, and I was beginning to feel that the name perhaps ought to reflect that a bit more. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but it does feel a bit weird....but weird doesn't mean that's bad does it?.......a good weird! As this little old blog of mine has become a sort of a diary of my life in general, I thought that was what it should be called!

So......a new name......ish!

Have a lovely sunshiny day all!!!!!!

Vanessa

xxx

Having a play......

.......I have so much to do.....so much mundane stuff to get through.......so much crafty stuff to be getting on with.....but I choose to start something else....and play.....

Just fancied a bit of colour today and had lots of spare bits of colourful yarn I couldn't do very much with! So hearts it was and a colour filled morning has been had! Now, just have to think what to do with them..........then carry on with the mundane and all the stuff I have been putting off doing!

Happy Friday and have a beautiful colourful weekend all!!!!!

xxx