Building Gallery

By way of a little house update here is a gallery of things we have ALL been doing over the Summer. I won't bore you with the details you can add your own commentary. Busy, Busy...

 

And just in case you thought we were nearly finished because I made a noticeboard - here is the upstairs!

The weather will soon change and I have stepped away for a house rest for a while. Andy continues to go every weekend but I have been neglecting the girls, skipping family jobs and getting a bit frazzled. This Saturday we changed the bed sheets, went to the park, did some baking, went to a local craft show with my mum and completed all homework tasks. My youngest said, "I have enjoyed today, this feels like the weekends we used to have doesn't it?" and my heart was torn in two but then I knew I had made the right decision to step away for a breather.

Motivational comments will be more than welcome!

Lots of Love Jo xxx

September...ing

Wearing - My new Sew Over It Pussy Bow blouse. I thought I might look like I worked in a travel agents but I am really pleased with it. The fabric is a light cotton lawn from Minerva.

Growing - On my spider plants to go into my macrame hangers.

Making - Fresh pasta. The girls had never done it before and absolutely loved it.

Baking - Courgette cake from this favourite recipe

Building - a kitchen island out of old apple crates. My friend made it and I sanded and waxed it. It is on lockable wheels so you can move it around (or not).

Disliking - Being stretched in too many directions.

Thinking - I am getting to be a bit of a mad woman and need to slow down.

Avoiding - Taking on any more tasks that are not really important right now.

Loving - This picture of Little M which Andy took on holiday.

Enjoying - Some late summer blooming. These Gladioli are great.

Finding - that if I water my house plants, we are rewarded with flowers. Who knew?

Knitting - A fair isle jumper for Heidi, on request, in cotton.

Going - Blackberry picking again, I may have enough for a batch of wine.

Filling - The freezer with meals after defrosting it over the Summer. I have been labeling things properly of late too to avoid unwanted surprises. No more bolognese crumble for us!

Sewing - A moleskin textured dress ready for Autumn to wear with my new mustard tights.

Buying - Lots: baskets, school shoes, winter tights, storage jars, haberdashery items, a new A4 notebook. That is me done until January!

Finishing - A crochet bath mat from recycled t-shirt yarn and left over macrame string.

Deciding - I look alright after seeing this photo Heidi took. I always feel relaxed when she photographs me. She does most of my blog photos and I feel I can be myself with her.

Feeling - The need for balance.

Have a Good week. Jo xxx

Enjoying Time

I have been lucky enough to have given up one job just before the summer holidays started and have another one lined up for when it ended. This has meant that for the first time ever, Summer has not felt like a battle with time. I have not had to juggle childcare and work; try to feel like I am making the most of days off or trying to kill myself getting ahead of time with house chores. I am the kind of person who has a bad relationship with time, I never really know how to enjoy it unless I am doing something. You might have guessed!

Anyway, I wanted to remind myself how much I have enjoyed time this holiday. It might help me in the future.

Dog walking

Going to a country show with my mum and the girls chatting about shared interests.

Going to our favourite local outdoor places.

Meeting Grandad at a tractor show in the sunshine. He shows his tractor so the girls get to sit on it.

Visiting our local National Trust Property - Attingham park.

Having an animal encounter at the petting zoo. Check out the little one in the corner!

Going for a long weekend in South Wales - super Tubing with Little M.

Making Pasta

A spot of foraging at the end of the holidays, where I ripped a hole in the bum of my jeans with some rather exuberant fence climbing to get a few more plums!

A little post to remind me that I have been enjoying being with my girls while they still like being with me. It was my first day at my new jobshare in a Primary school classroom this week. I had a break for eight years while the children were small, but I think I am ready for it again now.

Jo xxx

Crochet Jewel Cowl

I have been working on an easy crochet project to use up some cotton yarn: Drops Muskat from a baby blanket and Rowan glace from my crochet top. I had a flick through my crochet books for some inspiration. 

This beautiful cowl was in Granny Squares and Flower Motifs by Nicki Trench. I started to make the grey squares but knew I would run out of grey before the end so I began to incorporate some of the other colours on the second round. I also knew I would have to scale mine down too - I couldn't make 111.

 

They were easy to make, if not a little addictive. There was always time to make at least one every day.

I managed to make 62 before the grey ran out meaning the cowl would consist of 3 rows of 20 squares (the mathematicians among you will have worked out I had two left over!) I left long tails on them for sewing up and weaving in all at the same time. A good early move.

I sewed them into long strips spreading out the colours and then joined the strips along the long edge. I wasn't quite satisfied with the overall look; it definitely needed a border.

One row of double crochet finished it off really well. It is a snug fit which will keep me warm. Luckily, I don't really like cowls that just hang like a long necklace. This will be my new playground duty scarf for my new job at school.

That is not an intended sultry look but the gaze of a woman trying to work out if the cowl would be in the photo frame while pointing it at a mirror!

A great stash buster. I have a bit of yarn left over so it is not all done yet and you know me, I couldn't throw away those two odd squares. Thinking caps on for a complete stash buster...

Thanks for dropping in. Jo xx