. . . and The Night Owl is back again!

I'm ashamed to say that the last Crafting post I did was way back, on September 11th!

I hasten to say that this doesn't mean that I've haven't done any crochet work - it just means I've been so overwhelmed with health problems, that writing about anything I managed to make was just too much - plus, there was also the restraint that a lot of the things I was working on were presents, and I didn't want the recipients seeing them all before the right time :)

In my last crafting post, I mentioned that I'd had the privilege of testing a pattern for a wonderful designer, Dedri Uys, who's Blog is called: Look At What I Made (she can be found here:

http://www.lookatwhatimade.net). 

She wanted people of all levels of skill to test out a cute bonnet pattern, using the Crocodile Stitch - something I'd not come across until then - and she bravely allowed me to give it a try :)

This is what I made:

Unfortunately, the only yarn I had available, in the weight that she wanted used, was some Red Heart Super Saver, in Pumpkin, so that's what I had to use. Now, don't get me wrong, I actually love the colour - it's just that, with my abysmal photographic skills, I couldn't show exactly how lovely the colour really is - but you can definitely see the crocodile stitches! I'm quite fond of this little bonnet, as it was my very first item made with the crocodile stitch, and there had been quite an amount of frogging involved before I caught the knack of using it :)

I think that's one of the main aspects of crochet work that I love most - there's such an infinite variety of ways it can be brought together to make so many things, that I'll never get bored with it :)

I also tested a pattern for another lovely designer - Candace Glabas, who's Facebook Page, Crochet Dans L'air and The Grey Lady, is full of wonderful craft work:

(https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crochet-Dans-Lair-and-The-Grey-Lady/131901040286310).

Candace had asked me to test out a pattern, which involved using another new stitch for me, the Half Double Knit Stitch - which is actually a crochet stitch, and can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pG8YuAfQfU. 

Candi's pattern was for a Laptop case and, as it happened, I had need of one, so I was happy to attempt yet another new stitch, and have something useful at the end of it - and here's the result:

Because I didn't have the appropriate yarn to use, and was already waiting on an order of my favourite Red Heart Yarns, sent from the USA, I made it up to the thickness needed, using three strands of DK yarn I had in my yarn stash - a dark purple, a lavender, and a white. I used 2 buttons from my button stash as a closure, and I'm very pleased with the result - as was Candi, thank heavens :)

Since then, I've made quite a few items - including some bunting in various leaf patterns for a friend's craft stall - which I forgot to take a pic of! But I'm hoping that she will take one of it in use and, if so, I'll show you on another post :)

I've been quite busy making winter outfits (hats, scarves and gloves), for my parents, as it's their 58th wedding anniversary on 27th December and, as they both use scooters to get around now, I figured they'd keep a little warmer with some snuggly winter wear :)

I was given some gorgeous cream-coloured Aran Yarn, flecked with tiny spots of green and brown, which was, unfortunately for me, 25% real wool, and so was a total trial to use - but I was determined to make a really warm set for my Dad, and so I made him a lovely warm Hat, a scarf to match, and some Glittens - or fingerless mittens - that I'd got as a Premium pattern from Crochet Spot, which can be found here:

http://www.crochetspot.com/store/index.php?pattern=99 

- I managed it in the end, after having very frequent breaks to ease my hands (it's a pain figuratively, as well as physically, to be allergic to real wool!), to get them finished - along with a set of house slippers that I lovingly crocheted with the same yarn, too - but my Dad is well  worth the pain of using the wool-blend yarn! :)

For my Mum, I was very fortunate to be given a wonderful pattern called, Lady Victoria's Winter Warmers, a set of Hat, Neckwarmer/Cowl, and a combination of fingerless gloves, with a Mitten cap, to keep fingers toasty while not using them for anything intricate :)

The set was designed by a lovely lady, called Sue Pendleton and, if you like these, then you should go onto Ravelry, where she has a load of free patterns to be used - you can find her patterns here: 

http://www.ravelry.com/designers/sue-pendleton/patterns

My mum loves blue and green and, while I didn't have any suitable blues, I did have just the right amount of greens available - Red Heart Super Saver Solids - in Tea Leaf, and Honeydew, and I also used a tiny amount of the Hunter Green for leaves, along with some vintage buttons I had just purchased, and so I was able to make the set for her :) 

The Hat and Cowl part of the set :)

See the vintage button in the flower? :)

Here are the gloves/mittens :)

 By the time I'd finished making the set, there was plenty of the accent colour (the Tea Leaf) left, and so I decided to make Mum an extra gift of some Leg Warmers to keep her legs snug on her scooter - and a pair of light house slippers to wear indoors :)

I used the Alicia Leg Warmer pattern, designed by Leah Addis, which can be found here:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/alicia-legwarmers 

I followed the pattern, except that I left off the frilled edge and buttons down the length :)

These house slippers, minus the contrasting, frilled, edging, were from a free pattern on Jay's Boutique Blog, to be found here:

http://www.jaysboutiqueblog.blogspot.fr/2012/05/free-pattern-womens-house-slippers.html

Two other items I made - which were posted all the way over to Canada, were a couple of amigurumi sea creatures, to be placed on display in a Crochet-arium, organised by Michael Sellick, of The Crochet Crowd fame:

(http://www.thecrochetcrowd.com). 

This took place on October 13th, at the Creativ Festival in Canada, where each item was sold on behalf of Crafting for A Cure, a charity project, which also covers North America. I don't know what my two sea creatures went for, but I just hope that they helped a child somewhere :)

I made a Narwhal, and an Octopus - unfortunately, I can't find the photos I took of the Octopus, but there's a nice photo here (even if Mikey did get the place I lived wrong - it's Wales, Mikey, not England! Lol), along with my Narwhal:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeyssmail/9836843594/in/set-72157635299722849/

I did make a collage pic of the Narwhal, so here it is:

I've made quite a few other bits and pieces but, until they are given to their recipients, I can't show them on here, in case they see them before time :)

I do hope this has made up for my silence for so long? :)

Ten Things of Thankful #12

This last week started with a death, and sort-of went downhill after that.

I've been soul-searching all week, trying to find 10 things to be thankful for, but my sorrow kept getting in the way - and so I decided that, despite how I feel, I should do my best to at least try to list 10 things that I can be thankful for.

So here it is:

1.   I'm thankful that I'm still alive. My spiritual brother died at the age of 50 and, at 52, I've had 2 years more than him on this beautiful earth. I hope to enjoy many more, God willing, and so I should be thankful for this extra time.

2.   I'm thankful for my other spiritual brothers and sisters, who were concerned about me, despite their own grief. That they could still worry about me shows just how much love there is between us all, and so I am always thankful for that.

3.   I'm thankful that Lizzi was able to do so well with her run to raise money for Cancer Research.

4.   I'm also thankful that Lizzi's post during the week, while shocking me terribly, wasn't actually real, but got the point across to many people about how devastating cancer is, and how much more research is needed if we're to eliminate this awful disease!

5.   I'm thankful that I'm one of the survivors!

6.   I'm thankful that, despite my bad week, I'm still able to look forward to the future.

7.   I'm thankful for a daughter who has such a strong work ethic, and who enjoys her work so much that it never wears on her.

8.   I'm thankful that my daughter's gigs this weekend went so well, and that she has so much to look forward to.

9.   I'm thankful for my husband's love and care this week. He always loves and cares for me so well but, despite being ill himself this week, he has been even more solicitous of me after we got that bad news.

10.         I'm thankful that I've been able to find things to be thankful for. It has been a very hard week for me this week, as my health has been very poor, as well as coping with the sorrow of loss, and so I doubted whether I could find anything to be glad about!

Ten Things of Thankful #11

I'm very late with my post this weekend because, frankly, it's taken me this long to get over my daughter's wonderful visit to us!

So I'd better start my TToT straight away :)

1) I'm so very thankful for the pleasure I've had at my daughter's company over our anniversary week (hubby always makes it last a week - he's such a romantic! Lol)

2) I was thankful that she was able to get a lift right to our front door this time, instead of having to take so many changes between trains and buses!

3) I am also thankful to good friends of ours who gave her a safe lift back to the train station - where the train was there, waiting for her!

4) I'm thankful that she will be able to visit us again in November - much, much sooner than we had hoped to see her again!

5) I'm thankful for good friends, who made our anniversary dinner such a special one :)

From left: Helen, Bob, Rachel, Tony & Myself :)

From left: Brex, Bob, Rachel, Tony & Myself

6) I'm especially thankful for my friend Lyndsay Ogden-Talbot, of Pretty Glassy, who so beautifully decorated the clock I'd chosen for Bob as an anniversary present. Her design was so very apt for us both, and we'll treasure the clock forever :)

Bob's Pearl Anniversary present, from me :)

7) I'm also thankful to her for the amazing heart pendants she created for all three of us, as a family. She made the exact right choices for us all, and I just wish my photography skills were good enough to show just how amazing the hearts are!

Bob's Tree Heart Pendant, with his name,
and the date of our anniversary on the back.

My Owl Heart Pendant -
with the Mortar Board I never got to wear! :)

8) I'm also very thankful to my friend Milly Rees, of MillyannaTrees, who made such gorgeous Steampunk Owls for Brex & myself. As we both love Owls, and Steampunk, they couldn't have been a more welcome present from Bob if he'd tried! :)

My Oswald Owl - Steampunk Style :)

Brex's Owl, along with the Phoenix Heart Pendant,
made for her by Lyndsay :)

9) I'm thankful to my friend Helen, who not only got me a big bag of chunky yarn (she knows me so well!), but also included another little friend for me to love:

My Little Owl, from Helen :)

10) And, finally, I'm so very thankful for the gorgeous Roses (plus a load of chocolate) bought for us by Rachel & Tony, plus the 2 gorgeous Cyclamen plants by Helen - and the many cards we received from our family and friends - we were thoroughly spoilt! :)

Roses & the white Cyclamen :)

Some of the gorgeous cards we received, plus the red Cyclamen,
and a bouquet of flowers from my Dutch friend, Mirjam :)

All-in-all, we've had so many things to be thankful for this week, it's been amazing :)

10 Things of Thankful # 10

Is it me, or is time galloping along? It only feels like a couple of days since I posted my #9 post, and here's Saturday rolled around once more!

I'm feeling a little guilty, actually, as I wasn't well enough to contribute to many Blogs last week - but I did try to read as many of them as I could, when I could and, once again, everyone amazed me with the things they'd found to be thankful of.

I guess I've procrastinated long enough now so, without ado, here are this week's 10 things of Thankful:

1.   I’m thankful for discovering an amazing Blog a few months ago. It’s called 23 Thorns, and is written by an amazingly funny man who lives with his wife and children in South Africa. He not only writes some amazing stuff about the local flora and fauna, but he can be hysterically funny while doing so! I read his post of the 3rd October, and I laughed so much I nearly wet myself! I haven’t laughed like that in soooooooo long, so it was an amazing boost! Here’s the link – go on - read his post, you’ll have such a laugh! http://23thorns.com/

2.   I’m thankful for the amazing artistry of a friend who has decorated a special clock I bought for my hubby for our Pearl Anniversary. She managed to add everything that symbolises us, our love, and the things that mean a lot to us both. It’s something I know we will both treasure for the rest of our lives J

3.   I’m thankful that my girl is coming to stay for a few days from this weekend. I haven’t seen her for what seems like an age, and I so want to see my amazing daughter, and hug her for all the time I’ve been missing her J

4.   Following on from that, I'm just so very thankful for the wonderful relationship I have with my daughter. I never could talk to my mum in the way that Brex and I can talk, and I thank God every day for my miracle child, and the fact that we are firm friends, as well as mother and daughter.

5.   With that, I'm also thankful for amazing friends. My best buddy, Mirjam, moved back to Holland to be near her mum, who isn't well, and I’ve been missing her something terrible. Just a few days ago, there was a knock at the door, and it was a local florist holding a big bouquet of flowers from my dear friend, who sent them in plenty of time for our 30th wedding anniversary. It made me miss her even more, but in a nice way J

                   

6.  I’m also very thankful for my spiritual brothers and sisters, who do their very best to keep me spiritually alive and well. Being unable to go to my meetings really hurts me at times, as I really miss that amazing feeling I always used to get in our mutual worshipping of Jehovah God and Christ Jesus - but my spiritual family have banded together to help me, and go out of their way to make sure that I don’t miss out too much on that special meeting of minds, hearts and spirit.

7.   I’m thankful to Lovefilm, who have all the old series I used to love watching – like Married with Children – and who give me an unlimited amount of viewing time – I think I've watched more films, and old series, this year than at any other time.

8.   I’m thankful, once again, for the internet, as it not only keeps me close to family and friends, but is the means for my entertainment, as above! Lol

9.   I’m thankful for digital cameras. My hubby kept talking about the small river that runs through our little woodland (we get otters coming through here regularly), which I've never been well enough to go look at, and he eventually realised that he could take photos of it for me! Lol He did this today, even though it poured down for most of the day! J

                

              

  

10. And, lastly, I'm really thankful for the amazing ladies all over the world that I'm currently sharing a Granny Square swap with. It will be so very nice to put all of those squares I’m getting together, and make the baby blanket that I promised to a friend of my daughter who has just given birth to a baby girl. She loves to travel, so will appreciate that every square will have been lovingly made by somebody from a different part of the world to us.