More finished knitting

I've finished yet another cardigan for my brother-in-law's baby due in October. I thought it would be nice to have a contrasting border on this one and I think it has turned out to be rather effective.


I finihed it off with a little balloon shank button.

Now I just have to make the matching bootees!

More bootees

I have been wanting to make these little bootees for while now and finally I got around to making a pair yesterday for Evie.

As the weather is changing and she isn't yet on her feet, I thought they would be just the thing to keep her little tootsies warm when we go for our walks to and from pre-school.

I used some DK yarn I had in my stash from a swap, and I think they look really cute. It is a really simple pattern to do and I am really pleased with how they've turned out.

Evie likes them too!

Baby Bootees!

My sister in law's baby is due at the beginning of October so I've been frantically knitting some small baby things (I say small because all the baby things I'm knitting for Evie are bigger!) and I am enjoying the quickness of it.

She is expecting a girl so I made a simple cardigan and a cute pair of bootees.

I actually adore the little boots so much I will be making a bigger pair for Evie. I've never made bootees before and I love them! I just want to eat them up!

So here they are in all their glory - I just hope that she likes them. I'm evem tempted to make some for my Folksy shop in the run up to Christmas, I just don't know if they would sell? Do you know?

Update on Leah

Do you remember back in August when Leah had a water infection? Well she was referred to Paediatrics at the hospital by our GP because of the history she had with the RPD whilst I was pregnant.

We had the appointment yesterday and everything went really well. She was really good being examined and we've been given three pointers to try and prevent any further infections. One of the things is to have shorter baths which she isn't happy about, but hey, you've got to do what's best for them.

The X-ray department rang today - which was very quick - to arrange an ultra sound which has been arranged for October, so hopefully nothing will show up on that. Then she has a follow up appointment in January. You really can't knock the NHS in my humble opinion!

On another note Evie is so near crawling I keep expecting her to crawl off any moment. She's doing the rocking thing on her knees - which Leah never did - and she can really get about 'Commando' crawling and it's so cute!

Mmmmmmm.......................pizza!

On Thursday Richard went out for a curry, so I thought I would treat Leah and myself to pizza, except we were going to make it ourselves.

I made a recipe for basic dough courtesy of Jamie Oliver, but halved it using about 500g of flour.

We let the dough prove until double in size (about 40 minutes or so)

and in the meantime got our toppings ready (can you see my hot chillies hidden in there?). Not a great choice, but all I had in the fridge!

Once the dough was rolled out I covered it in my tomato sauce (made earlier using passata, olive oil, carrot, celery, onion and garlic all whizzed up together)

then added my lovely toppings.

Here is Leah's finished cooked one,

and mine!

And as I had had some dough left I made a nice little loaf.

Yummy, yummy, yummy!!

Another 'Lucy' bag

I just wanted to show you the other bag I made from the lovely pattern over on Attic24's blog. It is so named the 'Lucy bag' after the wonderful creator.

This time I chose just four colours and I think the effect is much better than the last one. I also decided not to make it quite so big, as I don't know how to line bags, and without doing this it isn't so strong. That's one thing I wish I knew how to do!

As before the little crocheted flowers and buttons really set it off nicely. I just have to make sure Leah doesn't pinch it.

Thanks Lucy for the great pattern, it is much appreciated.

Time for tea

For those of you that know me, you will know that I am very fond of a cuppa, or two, or three...

So whilst on holiday, we stumbled across a flea market in Mevagissey, so of course I had to have a look. There was a stall selling trios of china, a cup, saucer and side plate for £1.

I was quite happily going to treat myself to a set, when the stall holder said if I bought the whole 5 sets, he would throw in a teapot and sugar bowl for nothing, plus an extra saucer and plate. So I got the whole lot for a fiver - minus one cup which he said had gone missing, and I am really pleased with it all. It does mean I only have a set of five, but they do look lovely in my dresser.

It is Royal Stafford Bone China in the 'Roses to Remember' design and I just love it. Very Chintzy, but great! Now I just have to have some guests for tea and cake.....

More Cornwall catch up.....

Believe it or not, we did actually have some lovely weather in Cornwall this year, albeit the first weekend. So in our excitement, we headed off to the beach bucket and spade in hand (plus windbreaks, blankets, tent, cool box, etc., etc., etc.!)

I really can't think of anywhere else in the country that is as beautiful as Porthtowan beach with the tide out and the sun shining. it really is beautful with lots of wonderful sand to walk along and admire the views.

Leah loved building sandcastles - and knocking them over - with her Grandad and splashing about in the sea with her Daddy. Even Evie had a paddle, but it was a little too cold for her little tootsies.

It really was lovely and I can't wait until our visit again next year. What made it better was that it was Richard's birthday, so he went for lunch in Blue bar leaving Anna, Evie and myself to relax - as you can see. She was soundo!

Horse and pony riding in Cornwall

Whilst we were away we visited a place called Dairyland, near Newquay, so the children had something to do other than look around places with us.

One of the activities they could do was to have a pony ride, so of course it was the first thing we did.

Leah was really excited even before getting on the pony....

....and even more so once she was in the saddle. She loved it! Teh pony was called Muffin and was very cute. Look at her excited little face!

She really enjoyed it.

And William did too!

A week later it was my turn and I went riding at Mount Pleasant riding stables in Porthtowan, just up the road from where we stay.

I rode a piebald mare called Phoebe who was very girly! She was a lovely ride and very comfortable too.

We rode over the cliffs over looking the beach and the views were breathtaking.

Say 'Cheese!'

Another February baby sweater

I really love the February Baby Sweater by Elizabeth Zimmerman and I had to make another! What I like is that the chioce of yarn and needle size is entirely up to the knitter and so you never quite know what size the sweater will come out unless you are a real stickler for tension swatches which I am not.

This one was knitted on 4.5mm needles with Debbie Bliss Rialto aran yarn. I used up 4 balls and Ithink this will fit Evie at about a year old. I made the sleeves 3/4 length as this is a bit easier for when babies are crawling around. I love the colour and I am really pleased with the colour match of the buttons I found in Falmouth - especially as I matched the colour by memory!


If anyone would like me to read the instructions to them if you are unable to find a copy of the book, please let me know. I cannot do a photocopy for copyright reasons!

Evie and me!

Whilst we were away Richard took this picture of Evie and I, and I couldn't resist showing you. I think she looks sooooo cute!

I have plenty more holiday pics to share, I just have to find a few spare minutes to sort through them.

I took this one of Leah, I think the face says it all - she was not amused!

We are in for change...........

We haven't decorated our dining room since we moved in almost 5 years ago, and now finally it is done! I was allowed (ahem!) to choose the paper and Richard didn't have a say in it much at all - yay!

I (we) chose a large pattern print and I really love it. We had a new floor laid too so everything looks super new at the moment.

The worst bit was having to empty everything out into the conservatory and due to the HUGE amount of washing and ironing I had since coming back from Cornwall (four people really use a lot of clothes!) I haven't had a chance to put everything back yet.

The curtains for the back door are being hung on Wednesday and then it will be complete, hooray! I think this is now my favourite room :o)