Cath Kidston does Am Bothan

I am quite overcome with pride.  Youngest Child went to Winchester today and rang me in a frenzy to tell me that she was in the Cath Kidston store and there, on a cake stand, were some of my knitted cup cakes.  'Never' I said, so she sent me this photo to prove it ....

They are very squashed and have obviously been handled by lots of customers.  How exciting is that for a Cath fan such as myself?

 I haven't blogged for a while through lack of anything to show you.  I've been struggling with the Muir and Osborne cat patterns in my new book.  I've tried three so far and none has been satisfactory but I shall have another go some time.

Hope to be back at the weekend with some photos of current projects but, in the meantime, enjoy your extra day tomorrow.  Do we get paid for the extra day in a leap year or do we just do 366 days work for 365 days pay?

Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile. Da-n-da-da-n-da-da-n-da-da ...

... so I finished off a few outstanding projects ...

which gave me a huge feeling of satisfaction or possibly, just relieved the guilt of delaying so long.  As you can see, I had a go at a crinoline lady ....

... something I've been meaning to try to some time.

Muir and Osborne are bringing out a paperback edition of Best in Show:  Knit Your Own Cat on 8th Februrary.  It's called  Knit Your Own Cat:  Easy-to-Follow Patterns for 16 Frisky Felines.
 I didn't buy the original book as I had a pile of unfinished projects (see above!) waiting.  But, I am now unable to resist and have pre-ordered myself a copy.  While I'm waiting impatiently for it to arrive I've revisited the wonderful Knit your Own Dog book .....

 The patterns are wonderful but not as simple as the blurb suggests.  I think I'm a fairly experienced knitter but I had to try the Westie's head three times before I got it right.  Mind you, I was watching the BBC's very enjoyable version of the  Mystery of Edwin Drood at the time so that may explain the mistakes!



On the subject of knitting, this year's Ravelry is being held at Farnham Maltings on 25th and 26th February.  Unfortunately, this clashes with the next Shepton Flea so I won't be able to go, but I'd recommend it to any knitters within reach of Farnham on that date.

Have I had a Sleeping Beauty moment? .....

I find myself wondering whether I have fallen asleep, woken up in March and missed the end of the Winter.  I took Big Girl back to Lancaster this weekend and was taken aback to find Hot Cross Buns in Marks and Spencer and Cadbury's Creme Eggs in the petrol station.   Much as I love both of these seasonal delicacies, I don't want to see them for at least another month!

Last week I had another birthday and I am now (as my grandmother used to say) as old as my tongue and a little older than my teeth.  This is what Northern Man bought for me ...

Clever man: what more could a girl want?

I've been doing more knitting and have the next knitted bird to show you - an owl this time.  Here he is with some friends. 

A quick welcome to Little Nell, a new follower, who has two blogs ( hangingonmyword.blogspot.com and pickingupthethreads.blogspot.com)  for you to look at during the dark January evenings. 

Happy New Year!

I hope you have made your resolutions.  Mine are:-

1. Not to buy anything at a flea market, antique fair or car boot sale that does not fit into a shopping bag

2.  To buy nothing at all, of any size or shape, that is painted with gloss paint (yes, I know you've heard me say that before)

3. To make a real effort to use up some of the infamous yarn stash that is threatening to completely fill one corner of the garage. 

 So, three resolutions which should, you would have thought, be manageable.  I went to a car boot sale today.  It was small, muddy and cold and I bought (yes, you guessed it) yarn. 

Not a lot of yarn, just a little bit of vintage cream for doing doves, but that's the third resolution gone and it is only 2nd January.

I have had lots of time to indulge myself this break and I've been knitting bunches of flowers.  The rose pattern is from Lesley Stanfield's 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet but the other patterns are my own.  Here are some of the results ....

 As you can see, I decided that it would be a good idea to knit jugs to put the bunches of flowers in.  Unfortunately, the stiffening process went a little wrong and they look like factory seconds.  Never mind, at least I've got that particular bit of silliness out of my system now.

Seasons Greetings?

Northern Man received this email.  I thought I'd pass it on to you .....

Dear friends.

Please accept with no obligation, implied or otherwise, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday practiced with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all . 

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2012, but not without due respect for the calendar of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country Great Britain (not to imply that Britain is necessarily greater than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee . 

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms : 

This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/him or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. The wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher . 

Best Regards (Without prejudice) 

Name withheld (Data Protection Act).

Merry Christmas (I think)!

 

Joy to the World ....

and to me in particular as I have a wonderful two and a half weeks off work.  Big Girl and Youngest Child are back from university which makes for a surprising, sometimes startling, lifestyle.  Northern Man and I never know how many bodies may be strewn across floors when we get up, who we might meet on the stairs, or whether there will be any food/soap/loo roll/hot water left when we need it.  I wouldn't change it for the world.

The weekend before last was Shepton Mallet Flea Market.  I had a wonderful weekend - wine and chat with the Aged Parents on Friday evening, a  trip to Sherborne Antique Fair early on Saturday, a break, a walk up the High Street to do some Christmas shopping, a break and then a trip to the garden centre.  I had not realised how much I missed these simple pleasures working every day.  On Sunday we went to Shepton Flea, an enjoyable if not particuarly profitable, day out.

I bought lovely things at the Antique Fair in Sherborne.  Here they are ...

.. a Chinese carved panel, a blue glass vase with greens and greys drifting smokily through it and an embroidered wool panel which I shall probably make into a bag.

This pretty silk covered box is painted with pansies.  The embroidered box is modern, but has a feeling of the 1940's about it.

And a beautifully painted Victorian papier mache box.  A great haul!  The knitted Christmas fairy, who looks as though she's been at the mulled wine and is a little unstable about the knees, is an adaptation of my knitted doll pattern done in silver yarn with dove wings added.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

A crepuscular life style ....

Just another two weeks and it will begin to get lighter again.  I don't like going to, and coming home from, work in the dark.  I think it may be the reason Northern Man has booked flights to Iceland at the end of May - it will never get dark while we're there!  

So the constant gloom is the reason for the lousy photos of my latest work which will be going to Shepton Flea Market with me on Sunday....

This little vintage table is actually painted a very pretty shade of green but it is fairly difficult to make that out from the photos.  Roll on 21st December ......