To Sum It Up........

Goodness me 2017......

....Didn't you just fly by?

So, how did it go?

When I think back on the year past, it seems like a tale of two halves.

The New Year started with new beginnings, exciting beginnings. The days were full but flew by so fast. Before I knew it, we were half way into the year. It was enjoyable, this fullness of life, but I also felt that I hadn't achieved half of what I wanted to, creatively speaking. It wasn't a total creative bust. Looking back at my pics, I did get a few bits done.......nearly all achieved in the first part of the year.

Probably my favourite blanket. Made in the first few months of the year. TOTALLY used and abused and looking VERY worn in. I need another one for sure.

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I'm still all about the crochet hot water bottles.....except this was the cheats version as I bought it and just added the cross stitch. I'm all into saving time.


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The *Nemesis* blanket. Started at the end of 2016. It's taking FOREVER. I love it so, but it's a pain in the backside.


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One of My favourite makes of 2017. So quick and simple. A big granny square made into a shrug in my most favourite shades of pink.

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 The Sunday Shawl by Alia Bland. I made two above. You'd almost think they were the same. My makes are like buses.


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A work in progress above. That yarn has been frogged so many times. I love it so and cannot make the perfect piece with it.

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A 'whim' make. A simple triangular seed stitch shawl. It was the softest and cosiest yarn. Stylecraft 4 ply and a dream to make. I added a pom pom fringe after I took that pic.



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  Pine Tree Wrist Warmers by My Rose Valley


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An embroidery by Cinder and Honey


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I saw a wire version of this on Pinterest and thought it was the perfect project for the onset of Autumn. Bight and cheery.


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This scarf seemed to take quite a while for saying it was just a plain long scarf. Jasmine stitch in a yarn with a colourway called....wait for it.....Jasmine. So, it's the aptly named Jasmine scarf. Very cosy for the cold snap.


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You can NEVER have too many wrist warmers. A grey pair rolled off the hook too.


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By September, the usual sense of chaos took over me with what lie ahead in the last few months. Anyone who has read this blog for a long time, will know how rubbish I am towards the end of the year.

I felt like I expected the chaos, even more so this year, just because of the flying great start. The Yin and Yang as it were. My creative brain had just stopped, I felt like every day was Groundhog day. I felt like I was wading through treacle. It's a weird feeling, but I've learnt to accept how I feel at certain times of the year. Maybe it's an age thing. I don't fight it. I just let it wash through me and know it'll pass.


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That aside, the year was a good one on the whole. I feel with each passing year, I am more sure of myself and what I want out of life.


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A big excitement for me in 2017 was discovering Internet Radio. I had a DAB radio and listened to all the usual stations that you could get, but a family member had an Internet Radio and told of the whole new outlet of stations you can listen to. OH MY WORD, this was literally life changing for me! I'm a huge music fan. I especially love soundtrack music, and discovering that you can listen to stations solely dedicated to cinematic pieces......well......what can I say? Let's just say, that throughtout the days when I am home, it's like I'm living in a film. Weird....but totally lovely. So, definitely one of the highlights of 2017 for me.


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The Bear's are growing fast. I felt my age this year when Big Bear officially became an Adult! Yikes, where did the time go? When I started this blog he was a wee thing. I am loving having my boys more as my equals now. I am so proud of them and the young men they are turning into.

Baby Bear starts Secondary school in Sept. NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! That can't be! 

MY BABY!!!!!!

 Maybe my next years round up post will be interesting. Not sure how I'm going to handle that one!

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Life is good. It's not perfect. There will always be room for improvement, but I am incredibly grateful for so many things in my life.


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January saw the creative brain suddenly kick into action. As if with the flick of a switch, suddenly my head was full of nervous energy for making this and that. Hopefully it will be a productive year on that front. Time will tell I suppose.

 So....as the sun sets on this post, I shall say goodbye for a while, and try and make 2018 a good adventure!

xxx

Privileged.....

 I was driving very early this morning. It wasn't a usual thing for me to do, and the morning still felt like it hadn't quite risen from its slumber.

I have been listening all week to Ludovico Einaudi's 'Elements' album. I ADORE strings and Piano and I was playing 'Night' in the car. It seemed so fitting of the surroundings at that very moment.

Do you ever get it, when all things come together to reach one point; that you know is a significant moment to you? I'm not really so sure I can eloquently express this very well, as it's more a feeling than any spoken word can describe.

Anyway, driving through the countryside still so sleepy, with a hint of the sunrise....it felt quite ethereal. But mostly, I just felt this overwhelming surge of utter privilege. To have all my senses upon me. To be able to witness the sunrise and the sunset. To be able to feel the chill on my hands, and the sun on my face. To have the love stare back at me though my children's eyes. To breathe the morning air, sit quietly on a bench and watch the world go by, jump and sing like a loon in my house, run on a beach, cry at a sad film, watch deer jump through fields. I just felt what an awesome gift to have.

I think I have been thinking a lot this past week of people in my life who have passed. I miss them, and I miss that they don't get to see these moments that I see and feel. We forget sometimes in the hustle and bustle of life, just what we have, just how spectacular it all is.....and just what a privilege it is.

xxx

An Autumn Blanket Ta-Dah.....

The story behind this blanket......

Last year, I was to become an Aunt...twice....with both babies dues within a week of one another. I decided, rather than buy a 'welcome to the world present', I wanted to make baby blankets for each of them. I was always a little bummed that I learnt to crochet after my bears had come through the baby stage. So, this was the perfect way to make something for a baby. I knew one was to be a boy, and I made a ripple baby blanket for him. The other baby was a surprise, So I wanted to make a blanket that was universal. It was to be a little cot blanket, and I wanted something a little bit more than just a granny squares blanket. 

Whilst perusing the internet for inspiration, I came across Ingrid's 'Harlequin Blanket' from Wood & Wool Stool Blog. I thought it was ace. It looked like a stained glass window pane (which are things I have always adored), and I thought, made in pastels, it would make a lovely baby blanket for my new niece/nephew. Ingrid's 'Harlequin Blanket' pattern is for sale here in her Etsy shop if anyone would like to have a go at making one, (it's an instant download too).

It was a joy to make the baby blanket, and I loved how it turned out.

Remember this one?




I have a thing for Carousels, and Big Bear said it looked like an old carousel with the colours that were used, so it was nicknamed the 'Carousel' blanket in the house.

 (Carousel image copyright of Eye Poetry Photography)


It was given away and put to use.

That was the end of that.

As this Autumn season approached this year, and it was about blanket making time again, I asked the Bears' what they thought I should make. I have a list of blankets that I'm aiming to get done (most, assorted granny squares), but the Bears declared that they wanted a blanket like the one I gave away to their Cousin. It's not usually that much fun making the same blanket twice, but they were quite keen I make one for them. I had a look in my stash, and had many of the similar shades, and thought well why not, it was a fun blanket to make. I had a couple of darker shades of brown and butterscotch, which I thought would make it slightly more Autumnal for this blanket.

This one was bigger, so that all three Bears could fit under it. I made 124 diamonds, 18 halves, 12 slithers, and 4 end quarters. All on a 4mm hook and assorted dk yarns from my stash. Sorry I cannot be more specific than that. I know many of you love to know what specific yarn and shades I use. I REALLY wish I was more like the other wonderful crocheters who manage to list every detail, but I'm pants at that. Always have been, and I'm just not gonna change. I buy whatever I see at the time and like. It's always a bit of everything and I usually have no labels to refer too once I've broken into the yarn. Sorry.

Connecting it together, I realised it was a labour of love with it's size.

It took me AGES to crochet it together. I remembered it took a long time with the baby blanket size so I wasn't looking forward to doing this big version. I also had so many distractions. I'm usually really good at being quite determined to get it all done in one go. This one was quite frustrating as I had to keep stopping and starting. Not the blankets' fault, just mine and my bonkers life right now. But I loved it when it was done (and there aren't actually that many ends to sew in which was a blessing). I love its wonderful raised texture. I think that's what drew me to Ingrid's design in the first place. I know at the moment there is a huge surge in diamond tapestry crochet with gorgeous works from this lady and this lady and also from Ingrid herself.

I would at some stage love to have a go at this method of crocheting, but I'm a texture 'gal, and I do love this pattern for its texture.

Apologies for the not so great images of the blanket. The weather, as glorious as it has been through September and October, has now changed, and become quite wet and dark. To be honest, time is not on my side at the moment, so taking any kind of shots and getting a post up, has been a real achievement for me.

But......

....it has been put to good use already; and I'm sure will be a firm 'go to' blanket on colder days.

Cheerio for now....


xxx

A Round Up of Yearly Makes.......

I have been looking through my photos of all my makes made this past year.

I think day to day, you don't really realise what you can achieve. Through all my 'wobbles' on whether I was going to stay or go in blogland, blogging once again reminded me of why I love this little space here....to record what I have done.......and to remind myself that I have achieved more than I thought I could.

I've had to think long and hard about what direction I've wanted my blog to go in this past year. For a while I guess I wasn't happy with it, hence distancing myself from it. I felt it was becoming more than I wanted it to be. I'm not in it for followers, or to promote myself, lifestyle or any business, and I felt it was sort of going in this direction and I just didn't feel comfortable with that. All in all, I just wanted to record snippets of my life, just for myself......to look back at in years to come....and remember. I'm so much happier making it a little blog just for myself again.

Day to day i'm a mother. Sometimes I feel all I do is rush around being a taxi service, a cook, a washer upper, a laundry maid and anything else I need to be. Sometimes I feel like i've lost myself in the role as 'mum'. Of course, I do LOVE being 'mum', but it's nice to remember what it's like to be 'Vanessa' too at times.

But here......this space.....this post.......it reminds me that I DO actually get to be me. I just sometimes need to come up for air and be shown it.

This last year has been a whirlwind of a year. A lot has happened. I'd really forgotten how much....until I took a few minutes out....and just went through my months of this year slowly in my head. I knew that I had had a crochet hook in my hand for much of the year, but you soon forget what it is you've made.

It's been lovely to have a post where I can just capture it all.....and give myself a little pat on the back. I love to craft. I never really wanted to craft to sell, or make patterns......I just wanted to make some things for myself and my house and be pleased that I could actually do it.

Nothing more.

To record it here in my own little space was just a little something for me......but it's lovely that so many like minded souls want to read what I write and see what I photograph. Thank you so much for having taken the time to visit here and comment. Four years on, and I still feel quite amazed that anyone really wants to pop on over to my little space. I'm scatty and disorganised, shy and always the one standing by the side, but it's always a nice place here to just be me and put down my thoughts and make note of my crafty accomplishments.

I wish my repertoire of crafting skills were more varied. Time simply does not allow. I have yet to feel that crochet can take a back seat in favour of learning and perfecting a new crafty skill. Hopefully one day soon it will.

But for now.....I am happy.....happy to know that this year I have been creative and have introduced some happy pieces into my life and the lives of others......

My quickly whipped up Granny Scarf

My patchwork motif scarf

 I adored making this scarf. The yarn was just the most beautiful yarn ever.

A doily for a blogging chum

A Pot holder for a blogging  chum

And a half finished doily for me!

I learnt to knit and made a simple cabled scarf. I really enjoyed making this, although i'm still a terrible knitter!

The pink was just the perfect pink for me and I was so pleased with how it turned out.

To try and carry on with my knitting skills I made some wrist warmers. I ADORED the Rowan Yarn, just a shame it was discontinued. I would have made a whole lot more in it if I could have.

I put my non existant embroidery skills to the test. I had wanted to make this for SOOOOOO long with Alicia Paulson's Alphabet design. I COULD NOT put this down. It was totally addictive and I have plans for quite a few more!

This brooch made me smile and graces a nice jacket to keep me cheerful.

I loved making this wrap. So simple and I loved the colour.

Again, another make for a friend. I loved making this, although the stitching on it was a bum to do! I'd love to make a few for myself for the prettier garments I have.

This was the possible start of a blanket but I much preferred it as a granny scarf!

My cupboard make over. I loved this design I had on a tea towel, so it was transferred to my pink cabinet. After a bit of bashing about, it looks lived in now!

 My Apple Blossom tea cosy. Made on a whim with no pattern, I was rather pleased with how it turned out.

 A blanket that seemed to take FOREVER to make. It's HUGE, but i'm pleased with it.

I love doilies and these were addictive. They make great placemats.

 This blanket took a while. I struggled with my choice of colours. One minute I liked it, the next not so much. I persevered, and only when I had finished it and put on the pom pom edging I stood back and realised I loved it.

It really is a spirit lifter. Definitely a kaleidoscope of colours.

A blanket made for a Nephew. I loved making this and really loved the palette of colours.

Another blanket made for a new nephew. I LOVED making this blanket and really want to make an adults version in similar colours. 

I fell in love with this shade. A shawl it was to become.

Having an addiction for shawls, this was made. In the softest yarn, it's completely beautiful to snuggle up in. I love this, and OH......MY.......WORD has this been put into GREAT use in the cold weather. The minute you wrap it round you, you feel its warmth and snugness. I've even caught Baby Bear sat on the sofa with it around him (looking very pleased with himself I might add!). I am ever so glad I made this. 

 I loved the 'Portobello' wavy blanket I made for my nephew so much, that I made a start on an adult one for the autumn. It's really lovely to work on. A slow project that I can pick up and work on whilst other whims of projects take my fancy. Hopefully it will be complete for NEXT Autumn!

Another blanket. Using some left over yarn from my ochre shawl I made this based on a design blanket of Dottie Angels.

I enjoyed playing around with this piece. I loved the flower row.

 My Ochre Shawl. Big and beautiful to wrap yourself into. Great for nippy Autumnal walks.

My contribution to Innocent Smoothie Big Knits campaign.

 More Pot Holders. Love making these little gems.

 A really rather rubbish picture but I finally made something with the turquoise yarn. After a HUGE amount of faffing about with what kind of pattern I should use, I actually settled for something completely and utterly simple. A straight forward basic knitted scarf. It occurred to me that perhaps I was actually over thinking it all. Something simple and long to wrap around my neck on a cold day. The colour was so bright and cheery that I didn't want to take away from it. Now I know that I may have made something so much better, but I am really happy and it's completely toasty.

A Scarf in the Making. This was fun, although you can hardly call it a scarf!

My Tam o' Shanter and wrist warmer set. I had a lot of fun making this set and it gets a lot of wear.

I do so love red and pink together.

My pin cushion teacup put a big smile on my face.

I fell head over heels in love with this sparkly yarn for the festive season.

My spur of the moment blanket. I was so happy with my colour choices. I have been working on this during the Christmas week. I have really enjoyed spending time on this project. I like the muted tones. It's soft and inviting. As much as I love vibrance and colour, I do love soft and muted. My family laugh at me as I tend to put anything in life into two categories, hard and scratchy and soft and round. This blanket is soft and round and it pleases me. I hope for it all to be finished by the start of the New Year.

Yvonne's stocking tutorial came at the best time as I was doubting my decision to go with a pink Christmas tree. I thought it would look out of place but these stockings tied it all in perfectly.

I really do love pastels.

 

I loved this colour SOOOOOOOO much 

 

...and I loved the pink pom pom SOOOOOOOOO much!

 

I actually REALLY loved this set, and have been making a lot of use out of it and my 'herb' hat trio.In fact, I loved it so much, that I made myself a scarf and a pair of gloves too. Ooooooooh I cannot tell you how much I love these!

Wow, I really have achieved a fair amount make wise. It feels good. There are still makes started and on the go that haven't been recorded here, so I'm starting the New Year off well! My 'To Do' list is still as long as ever. As I tick one off, another 3 have been added, but it's fun. I like the challenge of something new. Maybe less blanket making in 2014 and a few smaller projects to be tackled. We shall see.....but you know me, always starting on a whim. Plans never go the way I write them down!

I feel happy....and content.

I like what I have made. It makes the corners of my mouth curl up. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. To have made little bits and pieces that I can wear, snuggle up in, and that can be of practical use in my house...what more could I ask for?

 I like that they are not perfect, that each have had a story whilst being made. That I will always remember those stories. Isn't that what hand makes are all about? I like that my Bears will have memories of mum's home made stuff and snuggles under blankets with all the family. I am hoping their memories of childhood will be filled with warmth and colour.

That feeling is priceless. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Yes.......I feel happy.

Standing back and reflecting, I reckon I have done an okay job this year. Plenty more to do, as always......but i'm kinda happy......yes......i'm doing okay.


HAPPY NEW YEAR

Let's hope 2014 is a good one with many more crafting projects to come!

xxx