Bits........

After a fair few cold, dark and snowy days this week......today the sun shines.

Really cold....and windy outside though, but, none the less, the sun has got his hat on.

It lifts my spirits and makes me extra shiny when the sun is out.

I always feel perkier. The grey just makes me want to hibernate.

I am loving my mantel.

The pink hyacinths just keep on arriving. They are so pretty. A bit of green on the mantel to compliment the pink.  The daffodils are almost coming to an end. Time for some more. 

Middle Bear brought home is pottery work from School this week. 

He seemed rather pleased with his efforts! I don't think he would make it as a potter but I loved the colour and it's wonky shape. I asked if I could put it on the mantel, to which the reply was 'err yeah right, it's mine, make your own'. Charming!

It got left on a table for a couple of days without any thought, so up it went! He still hasn't noticed. I'm sure when he does, it'll get swiped back!

The hyacinths seem to be in big supply at the local shops and I have been making the most of it. I just adore these delicate pink ones. As my daffs were in a green jug, and Middle Bears' pottery was green, I wanted a big green jug for my hyacinths. I didn't have a big green jug so I used a teapot instead. I raided my dresser. They look decent enough stuffed in it!

Talking of the dresser.....it has been bathed in sunlight today. Ahhhhhhhhhh

I love a sunlit dresser.

The sun makes me want to sort. So I've been sorting.

I've also received a wool stash in the post to make a start on my knitty project.

Woo hoo....I've completed an arm hole. Only a few phone calls to my mum and a you tube video, but I did it. This is my 'mock up'. You know when sewers mock up an item of clothing in calico first to check for fit etc.......well, I'm doing this first in cheap stuff to see if I can do the pattern. I just didn't want to fork out on expensive yarn if I realised that I couldn't do it. It would be such a waste. I thought I'd do the pattern first in cheap stuff and see if I can actually do it, and where I can improve things, for when I do it 'properly'. I know it's twice the effort, but my knitting skills really are THAT poor. Rubbish actually. Never knitted with circular needles. They make my hands ache. I can only work on it when the house is empty. ANY distraction is destructive to my efforts. I also realise that I'm pulling the funniest of faces as I'm doing it. Thank goodness I'm doing it alone! 

I've only made two knitted things, a scarf and a hot water bottle. I currently have a cowl on the go....but OH MY WORD.........knitting takes FOREVER. I'm slow, and it grows at a Lilliput snails pace. I'm doing okay with the pattern, but deary me, the yarn is DISGUSTING. It's Stylecraft Life Super Chunky. It was the cheapest super chunky I could find to do my 'mock up'. It has the most horrid acrylic sheen to it.  I almost cannot bear to carry on with it. I won't deny it is warm though, so maybe it might be a 'wear around the house when i'm chilly' top, but I know NEVER to purchase this again.

I've been surfing for nice stuff and I have about 5 colours I could be happy making this properly in.

So let's just skip over this and look at nice yarn.......

There we go. I'm LOVE LOVE LOVING this colour combo. When I'm fed up with the knitting (and my hand aches) then I change to this. So much more fun. The yarn is gorgeous to work with (Drops Merino Cotton) and I like the pace that it grows. So much more satisfying.

I have plans for this also. Wrist warmers for layering.

I'll leave you with some Hyacinths.....

...If only you could smell these........divine.

Have a super weekend all.....

xxx