Obsessive ta-dah......

It seems that I have a little obsession.

As if I don't have enough.....

....I just seemed to need to make one more.

Eeek

I was a really wanting to indulge in my love of grey this time round.

My thinking was warm grey with a slight white edging.

But neon pink snuck its way in, and the slight white edging seemed to want to more attention than I was prepared to give it. We argued, and it won. But, I'm glad to say, I'm happy it did.

It's oh so soft

A bit cobwebby

And, incredibly warm.

It's softness means that it's great too for turning round and wrapping round the neck on a frosty morning with a jacket on.

I'm secretly in love.

I'm not entirely convinced this shawl obsession is all that healthy.....

...but it sure puts a lovely big grin on my face.

Snug...as...a...bug...in...a...rug

The pattern is very similar to several I have made from a japanese pattern. 

click here if you fancy a go at making one to snuggle up in on a cool Autumnal evening.

xxx

I'm Loving.....

I'm loving the shift into Autumn

I'm loving having a read through a crafty mag to inspire me.

I'm loving having my perfect coffee in a cup and saucer that is big and pleasing to my eye.

I'm loving the start of a new blanket.

Yes, yes, yes, it's just like an adult version of the Baby Portobello blanket I made in the Summer. I loved it perhaps a little too much! This one has more depth of colour. More Autumnal, and a fair bit bigger. I love how it's an easy rhythmical pattern. One to pick up and do a row or two a day as and when I feel like it. It's pleasing me no end. 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh........

xxx

Ta-dahs of sorts and a whole lot of waffle........

And so.....

As the trees are starting to turn from a vibrant green into something more coppery, so a new season awakens from its glorious sleep.

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This has been a relaxing summer.

I have loved it.

A brilliant summer in fact.

A creative Summer.

I have come through this summer realising a few things.....

1. Every once in a while, it is necessary to stop the clock and step away from it all.

2. I am an opposite loving girl.

3. It's very difficult to completely disconnect from technology.

4. My tastes are changing.

5. I cannot tell the difference between caffeinated and de-caffeinated tea......a good thing.

6. I adore quiet, yet I cannot live without music.

7. I'm still no gardener.

8. I cannot live without taking photos and capturing a moment.

9. I'm never going to whittle down my crafty 'to-do' list.

10. Basil is an essential in life.

Hummmmmmmmm.......

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So, this summer has been good. The Bears have been fab, the weather has been decent, i've relaxed and been happy as Larry getting my crafty mojo on.

Whilst I have left Instagram and been away from my Blog......I have been on Pinterest a fair bit. See, it is difficult to completely disconnect! I have been gathering inspiration for various bits and bobs I have wanted to make or wanted to do around my house.

I have been a busy bee.

I don't think I had intended to get a post out so soon, but I found myself with a few spare moments. I thought as I had been charting the progress of my pixelated blanket, it was really only fair to show you how far I had come with it.

So, here are the fruits of my summer.......

Goodness me, it has taken me forever. For something started that was supposed to be fairly small, it ended being a whopper of a blanket.

Now, this is a ta-dah of sorts, as it's not actually finished yet in that picture. It still has a big lace edging to be put on the top and bottom and the sides cleaned up. But it was the only opportunity to get it laying flat with space around it to show off the actual picture!

The 'Rosy Posy' Blanket

And in case the photo above still doesn't lend itself to size proportions, here's a pic of me on it.

I started this blanket in February. To be fair, it's had a lot of time just sitting. I had no idea of my yarn need with this and had to keep ordering more and just waiting for it to arrive. It took 2 whole weeks of sewing in the ends. No matter how hard I try, I just cannot be a person who sews in as they go along. I just would get so bored that i'd never complete any blanket. I find it much more motivating to get to the end and seeing it almost finished spurs me on to sew in the ends. These ends were actually mega satisfying to sew in so it didn't bother me. It was just the sheer volume that was really daunting. I could spend 4 hours at a time sewing them in and open up the blanket and I hadn't even scratched the surface!  There were 1152 squares in total, so 2304 ends to sew in. I did do a little dance of joy when the last end was sewn in. Pheweee.

It is taken from Cath Kidston's 'Stitch' book. After making my hot water bottle covers with cross stitching and then doing a little bit of actual cross stitching, this was a natural progression. I liked this pattern and was originally going to do a pin cushion, but it occurred to me that it could crochet up well in a bigger squared pixel format. Once the idea was born there was no stopping me!

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I also made a few little doilies for my table.....

These were very pleasurable to make...and really rather addictive.

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I also FINALLY finished my 'Kaleidoscope' Blanket.

This blanket was started at the same time as the 'All Boys' Blanket and the 'Serendipity' Blanket. I kept faltering on this blanket last year. I wasn't sure if I liked it. I made the decision to leave out yellow from the colour mix. About half way through, I wan't sure that it was working without it in. I kept walking away from it then coming back to it. One minute i'd hold it up and love it as it was, then the next I wouldn't. I persevered and it was only when I finished all the squares that I decided that it worked for me and I was right to leave out the yellow. The pom pom border worked well, so I am pleased.......not only that I actually finished it....but that I love it too.

I love its slight crazy nature. It's a good garden one. Very cheery that's for sure.

It has been a faithful one all summer

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So, you'd think i'd be blanketed out right?

Well, no actually!

You see, there were to be a couple of new additions to the big family. I was to be an Aunt again. Two babies were due to arrive. One I knew was going to be a boy, and the other was a surprise. 

One of my little regrets was that when my bears were babies, I hadn't mastered the art of crochet, and they went without something home made. So, I wasn't going to let this opportunity slip and I was going to do my Aunty duty and make them each one.

I wanted muted mixed colours and nothing too sickly and pastel.

The babies were due within a week of one another so I knew I had to get my skates on.

The first one I started was a wavy one which I called.....

❤❤❤ 'PORTOBELLO' ❤❤❤

I completely ADORED making this

I really loved the colours together. It'd been a long time since I had crocheted a wavy blanket and I loved every minute of working on this.

I was pleased with the end result......so were my tribe too. I would love to make a big one in these colours for myself.

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On to blanket number 2.

I was originally going to make a little granny square baby blanket, but I decided I wanted to try something a little different, so went on a Pinterest search.

I found this by the very talented Ingrid Jansen from Wood Wool and Stool

Isn't it great? Not being a massive fan of black in my crochet, but I knew that I would look super as a baby blanket in pastel hues and with a lighter edging. So I set to work.......

I called this......

❤❤❤ 'CAROUSEL' ❤❤❤

Gosh, I REALLY loved this one too. It worked out really well I think. I think i'd like a bigger version of this for my bed too. No wonder I have so many blankets!

I really hope the Mums to be like them. Eeeeeek.

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Well, You'd REALLY think that after FOUR blankets, i'd be ready to give them a rest.....

Uhhmmmmm, not quite it seems.

I'll leave that for another post. I've also been laughing myself silly. Autumn fever has taken hold with me and i've been scratching the usual random, spontaneous, creative itches I get, and making the most ridiculous Autumn stuff in mega heat! Trying on full winter garb when you are wilting is laughable, but I guess that's me. I have provided my family with a lot of entertainment recently. I'm a complete muppet. That's never going to change.

Right, this has been a mammoth post. Probably 8 posts rolled into one! Apologies. Probably my first proper creative post in a while. Information overload! 

Geez! 

Oh well, I thought as I had the time and the motivation, I might as well get it all out. You never know when my next post will come!

Thank you, for taking the time to read me and get through it all. You did well!

I'm parched now......

......a nice hot cup of de-caff I think.

Cheerio

♥

xxx

Just Wanted To Say........

Thank You

A posy of Roses

For you.

I have been incredibly touched by all your responses to my last post. Quite blown away in fact, and a little teary if i'm being totally honest. I sit at a desk and type away...thoughts......makes......then I press 'publish', and probably walk away to go make supper and not think about it again. I don't think about how it pops up in someones feed, or email......or that someone might just stumble across it and go through a years worth of postings. I guess I think of it as closing my diary and putting it back in a drawer until it's time to write in it again. I forget that it's a book that many can pick up and keep dipping back into whenever they please.

Although, I have not replied to any comments (would sort have defeated the whole object of getting away from it all for a bit!), I did read, each and every single word, both from your comments below and your private emails.

I felt comforted by the fact that so many of you got me......that so many of you felt the same or had felt it at some point. Yes, it was hugely comforting.

It was lovely to have a very simple summer. I needed it. Boy, it made me realise just HOW much I needed it.

I had a lot of 'quiet' time. It was fab. Just thinking about what I love, what I want more of, what I want less off. 

I guess it's all been culminating over the past couple of years if I really think about it. Starting a new decade soon, I wanted to make sure that I started it the way I wanted it to carry on. I wanted to enter it with a clear vision of what path I was wanting to head down. So this summer has been good. I hit the crossroads, I took a step back from all the distractions to really think about what was good for me and I now have a clear head.

I also had time to think about my little space here. I really did think long and hard as to whether Coco Rose had anything else left to give?

I have come to the conclusion that I don't think that I am done yet.......but I just have to decide what part it is going to play in my life. I think i'm just going to have to be a bit more relaxed about it though.

So once again

Thank You

xxx