Blog candy arrived!

I was lucky enough to be the winner of this wonderful yarn from Ellie's great knitting blog. There are two hand dyed and one Cherry Tree Hill in Pestp. I already know which socks I'd like to knit with this when I get the chance.


This is one hand dyed,

the Cherry tree hill

and the other hand dyed. What woolly lovelyness!

Playing hooky too!

I have been meaning to start this crochet pattern for a while, but after seeing quite a few blog I read taking a break (even if briefly) from knitting, I thought I would do the same for a little while and have a go at the neat ripple pattern from Attic24.

I foulnd the foundation chain really fiddly to crochet into and ended up losing stitches and with a piece of crochet a lot smaller than I had inticipated. I decided to use this as my practice run and ended with this:-

It isn't too bad for my first attempt. As I wanted to make a small cot blanket for Evie (who just decided to sick up all over my hand!), I thought I'd use a larger hook for the foundation chain, that way it would be easier for me to crochet into the chain. Ta da! It worked! I made a chain of 101 (you need a multiple of 14 +3 for the pattern) and I didn't mess up once. it also cut my time down as on first attept it took me over an hour for a very poor result!

This is my progress so far and I am really pleased with the result. I'm not totally coverted yet, but it does make a nice change.

Dorset part one - Lulworth castle and Weymouth

Here is the first of my posts with photos from Dorset, I didn't realise we had taken so many so have had to do it in several goes.

We visited Lulworth castle which was actually burnt down in 1929 so the interior has completey gone. It would have been a lovely hunting lodge inside, as the outside is so grand. It was a bit hair raising walking up to the top carrying Evie, and we were all pleased to get down!


There is a farm you can visit on site and we saw lots of lovely animals including..

...this wonderful peacock (as well as a dozen others)

some ponies,

and some cute and furry alpacas.

there was a cute little seat outside the farm and I had to try it out with Leah.

This is fun!

I was also a bit naughtly so got sent to the stocks. As you can see I was not amused!

Leah was having lots of fun running about and being cheeky, then fell over and grazed her knees.

She was not happy as you can see, bless her.

We had a day out in Weymouth at the end of the week and the weather was glorious. At the end of the promenade we found the mini fun fair and Leah had fun on the rides.

She liked the safari jeep the best.....

....and we even had a ride on a magical carousel.

Finally we had a stroll along the beach, although the sand was pretty hot. Poor Evie had to watch from her pushchair. She'll be able to join in soon!

I am still alive!

Sorry for not posting in ages, I find the time really flies away at the moment. I keep meaning to post the photos from our week in Dorset, as we had a lovely time and Leah loved it, especially all the ice cream.

We stayed in a place called West Bay, not far from Lyme Regis, and other than our pram breaking and having to find a shop open on a Sunday to replace it, we had a really good time.

We visited a place called Monkey World which Leah loved and really didn't want to leave!

I have also been finishing off some projects -

this sweater for Leah which I started in June 2009 (!) but luckily will fit her quite easily, as I was making a bigger size anyway. It has a lovely flower motif on the front, I just have to persuade Leah to wear it now.....


You can find the link to Ravelry here and see what the whole sweater should look like.

I have also made a couple of things for Evie,

this single buttoned cardigan in Snuggly Baby Bamboo Dk which comes up beautifully shiny before it is washed, and isn't too bad after.

I also made her this little Kimono made from Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino which is another lovely yarn. I think this is a pattern I will be knitting for my niece when she is born later this year.

A lovely weekend

We had a lovely weekend this week made even better as it was a bank holiday. On Saturday the weather was lovely, so we were able to be outside at a friend's fourth birthday party.

The children had a treasure hunt.....

.....looking for necklaces and coins amongst the bubbles....

...with their treasure bags......

....and finding lots and lots......

...of treasure!

On Sunday we had a wet and windy day out at Audley End house and gardens owned by English Heritage.

The weekend was special as they have opened the stables for the first time so there were lots of displays to see.

The following are the display of the 17th Lancers and they looked spectacular. One of the horses even used to be part of the Queen's Household Cavalry.

A little bit of knitting........

I finished another little cardigan for Evie, and hopefully this will be one she can grow into rather than out grow straight away. She's now 14lb 12oz the little piggy. My health visitor says I must have gold top milk, ha ha!!

I really liked this cardigan and the yarn was a real good bargain from black sheep wools.

This one I finally got around to sweing up, as it was supposed to be for Evie. Of course once she was born she wasn't a boy so now I just have to wait to see if anyone's new arrival will need this.

I managed to take a photo of her wearing the little jumper I made with the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino yarn, but as you can see she isn't going to be able to wear it again as her little (or not so little) tummy id too big. Poor little mite - good job she's a happy little soul :o)

Happy Belated Easter.....

I hope that everyone had a good Easter. We spent it with family - on Saturday we had champagne and drinks to celebrate Evie's birth, and Sunday and Monday evenings we had dinner with my parents and then the in laws.

Tomorrow we are having a day out as it is the little monkey's 3rd birthday. I hope she'll have a fun day!

I planned to make bunny egg cosies for all Leah's friends who are coming to her party on Saturday, but what with having Evie wanting most of my time I haven't had a chance to knit all the pieces let alone sew them up which I found to be pretty time consuming.

I did manage one complete cosie so Leah's nabbed that one!

I have managed to knit a little cardigan for Evie, but with the rate she is growing an the lack of warm weather, I'm not sure if she'll get around to wearing it. I do hope so as I think its a really pretty one.

Here she is today, being a very good girl whilst I prepared dinner. What a cutie, even if I do say so myself!