April...ing

 It's been all daffodils and lambs here. Welcome to our family and our Apriling adventures.

Picking - the daffodils that blow over on the windy days and buying some favourites too.

Admiring - the wild primroses on the bank at the bottom of our field.

Caring - for our first lamb that came two weeks early. These two are back out in the field now.

Feeding - another one. He needed feeding every 2 hours at first and now every 4 hours. This one got left by mother while she took a long time to labour her second one. He was in the field all wet and unlicked as some wintery showers with cold winds blew in and it was getting dark.

Sniffing - his new playmate. Beano the dog is beyond himself with excitement.

Taking - the lamb out for some sunshine so that we can clean out the office, it stinks in there! His horns are already starting to poke through. Both Hebridean ewes and tups have horns which they get very soon.

Sewing - a shirt dress from Newlook6449. There is a denim version of this dress in the header bar but the buttons were so stiff that eventually they split the button holes. This new one fills its shoes perfectly.

Setting - up the incubator with six eggs to hatch. We did this 21 days ago and are waiting for new chicks. I fear the office will continue to smell in the next few weeks but of a different kind of poo.

Smelling - a a nicer smell. I love the daffodils that have a strong scent. These were particularly beautiful.

Looking - under the hedgerows for wild signs of Spring. Violets, cowslips, wood anemones and celandines.

Continuing - with my strip quilt. I wrote 'one hour strip quilting' on my sewing list this holiday and managed another whole row.

Crocheting - my chunky blanket. It was a one row a night wonder which is finished except for trimming the tassles.

Hunting - out the egg decorations for my twig in the window.

Walking - down to the ford for a shady woodland splash about with the dog.

Planning - some new sewing tutorials with these fabrics; striped jersey, swiss dot, linen and the last of my cotton voile.

Feeling - Very, very lucky with our lot.

Updating - you as I write, two chicks hatched so they are basking under the heat lamp while walking though their food and water!

Bring on Spring. Jo xxxx

March...ing

 Hello there! Welcome to the happenings of March, they are varied and colourful as we look forward to Spring.

Cooking - lots of lovely things. These will be the last of the heavy winter cakes and puddings for a while as we switch to lighter treats.

Cherry Clafoutis

Choc Chip cookies

Coffee and Walnut cake

Visiting - the Ladybird artists exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum. I loved it more than my girls who lacked the element of nostalgia that I enjoyed but Heidi is doing GCSE Art so she really appreciated the beautiful illustrations.

Buying - a couple of vintage patterns for my collection - very wearable.

Adding - door handles and stickers to my studio furniture. They are called 'decals'. The stickers have a wonderful matt finish which makes them look painted on.

Sewing - a new bra from a kit given to me by Christina from A Colourful Life. The new ones I made at the beginning of the first lockdown are getting worn out so it was time to make another...or maybe two.

Disliking - the eight trips I made to the vets in February. Beano had such a sore paw which then developed into an abscess. Eventually, after having a cut made from in between his toes up his leg they found this monster splinter tracking its way up his leg. March is the start of him running around again without a cone on his head or a huge bandage on his foot.

Loving - the dress I made for big girl to wear to a wedding in July. It is the By Hand London Anna dress. She chose the fabric and we tweaked the body to fit from a size 6.

Struggling - to knit or crochet (from a shoulder injury) but I have been doing a little stitching in very small amounts. I know all the stitches but my eyesight is not as good as it used to be so I have to just enjoy it and not worry about perfection.

Dancing - with my friends to a steampunk track at a dance event to raise money for Ukraine Disaster Emergency fund.

Feeling - ready for Spring.

Thanks for dropping by. Jo xxx

February...ing

Lots happening this February...so many things in fact, it has taken me away from the online world. The biggest being my studio make over. When we moved house 18 months ago all of the furniture we didn't quite have a planned home for ended up in the studio and I used it to store my stuff. Now, with creating online tutorials for my work, I have to make it work as part of my job. The new working from home concept.

Painting - one studio wall white for better filming. The sewing wall houses everything sewing related with some room to spare. I also painted the table legs on both tables green, then waxed them to seal the paint.

Disturbing - all of my craft stuff is in its self disturbing. I had a good clear out and replaced this wall with more storage.

Building - two whole walls of IKEA Ivar units with bloke was gruelling especially as we did it all on one rainy day. My girls built some stuff too in the house while we put the units together and they kept popping in with completed parts. 

Exciting - news. The introduction of our cockerel, Gordon, has meant that Daisy the hen has started laying again. Hopefully, Heidi can hatch chicks which she has been reading up on. The incubator is ready to go in spring. For now though, we are eating the new eggs.

Giving - a Harris Tweed jacket a new life. It was a mens kilt jacket but I shortened the shoulders and sleeves; added a waist tie; covered some new buttons and added a cuff detail. It is such a warm coat/jacket.

Sewing - a comfortable dress. I am not mad about the fabric print as it happens but the pattern is brilliant and super easy. I have been exploring a range of patterns for work called Atelier Jupe. They have a wonderful wardrobe range and incredible instructions. This is the Charlotte dress and Lou top. I like that most of my clothes have names!

Sorting - out embroidery threads. With the two girls both stitching, it was all getting a bit of a mess. I bought them a bobbin case and the girls sorted out what they wanted to keep then got rid of the rest.

Crocheting - my knitting and crochet has ground to a halt. All of that painting and moving furniture has left me with a sore elbow. Also I have ran out of the medium grey colour wool for this throw and can't seem to find any anywhere. I have also found out that using my hands every evening to do yarn craft is actually what keeps me awake! I am finding it hard to keep my eyes open in the evenings without it.

Upskilling - my sewing by creating piping detail on my latest pair of Carolyn Pyjamas. The pattern really lends itself to the concept of moving your sewing on as you make each pair more complex. It is expensive but in my opinion, the only one PJ pattern you will ever need. This is my fifth pair (not all for me!)

Listening - to the wild wind this week and bracing ourselves for Friday with storm Eunice. I have tied the trampoline to a tree, turned all the sheep hay cratches away from the wind and picked up anything that can blow away and put it in the shed. All gates will be checked but fingers will have to be crossed for the tin on the barn roof. In calmer times...

Thanks for dropping by. Jo xxx