Weather here has been total pants. I’ve never know March and April to be so cold. To make matters worse, I’m still carrying a knee injury from they urn if the year – have now been instructed to rest for 3 weeks.

To cheer myself up, I’ve started on this crochet wreath for craft room. I was so pleased with how neat me base turned out, I almost didn’t want to cover it. I bought a styrofoam base from Hobbycraft, which means the wreath us lovely and light and will be easy to hang.

I am especially pleased with the big pink flower and the thistle. Should get this finished this week, although I need to set aside some time to clean my desk, as I have a few sewing projects I want to start.

What projects do you have lined up over the next few weeks?

Toodles xoxo

On the Saturday, we decided to explore Malaga a bit. I fell in love with the city, even though the weather was a bit on the chilly side (okay, I was so cold I thought I might die!) and we ended up leaving early than originally planned, just to get a heat on the bus. Some stunning buildings and we took in the Picasso museum as well. Next time my task will be to take only hand luggage but find space in it for my DLSR camera!

I’ve also managed to master bead crochet and made this necklace for a crochet group swap on Ravelry

The best part of the swap was that I managed to swap in person whilst on holiday, as by a total fluke, my partner lived about an hour away from where we were staying. We spent a lovely couple of hours chatting and drinking coffee.

Here are my lovely swap goodies.

The pincushion will be fab for when I start learning dressmaking (definitely this year – no excuses!), as I’m really bad for sticking pins in my trousers (well, jammie bottoms) and forgetting about them until they stab or scratch me later.

Toodles for now xoxo

Futon on the spare room is looking very swish now.

I now have to work out how on earth to crochet a cover for the other cushion, which is a 5-pointed star shape!

Other than that, I’ve learned bead crochet. This only happened 2 days ago, so no photos yet! It’s actually ideal for taking to work or doing whilst watching tv, as you don’t need to worry about dropping beads. Stringing them is an utter pain though.

I completely forgot it was pancake day yesterday, so I think I may make sofficini (aka crispy pancakes) for Sunday dinner instead.

Anyway, must dash – need to string more beads for my current project.

Toodles xoxo

Something that gave me enormous pleasure was finishing my crocheted Tucson Throw.

It was a free pattern on the Naturally Caron site and my first big crochet project. I used Sirdar Supersoft Aran in Scrummy Plum, Kingfisher, Denim and Sand.

I decided not to put the fringing on it, but have some yarn left over, so I can always go back and do it at a later date. It already has pride of place on the futon in the spare room, which doubles as my craft room, so I’m looking forward to spending some chill time in there now.

Next up I’m making a cushion cover in the same colours. I love big projects but when they’re done, I really like to do some smaller things. I’ve also got the urge to pick up a beading needle again; I have a few unfinished objects to work on, so trying to convince myself to work on these before starting something new!

Another simple thing that makes me smile is my new egg chicken

I had wanted one for ages but couldn’t make my mind up between cream and patterned. It looks so much nicer in the kitchen than egg cartons lying around.

Better dash, my hook and needle are beckoning.

Stay warm everyone.

Toodles xoxo

I was going to post a work in progress photo of the crochet throw I’m working on, but as I’m going to finish it this week (feels like I’ve been working on it got a million hours), I thought I’d keep you in suspense…instead I’ll show you the yarn I’m using.

I really love these colours, as they’re strong, yet still somewhat muted.

I’m at that stage where I just want the throw finished and to start something else, maybe a bit of beading and a smaller crochet project which I can do simultaneously. I always feel like this with a project – I’m sure it’s because I hate that boring finishing things off part!

Anyway, better get cracking on, or it’ll never get done.

Toodles xoxo

I’ve still done very little to my website, but I’m now the owner of a nice new laptop, so no excuses there.

Over the past few weeks I’ve rediscovered crocheting (after my very brief foray into it before) and I love it. I had previously crocheted a pram blanket, but it was all in double crochet. I’m now working on a throw, and hoping to have the finished article to show off in the next week or so.

I sort of lost my love of beading, but it has returned and I’m looking forward to starting some new beady projects.

Sewing, especially dressmaking, didn’t quite materialise the way I wanted it to in 2012, but this year I am determined to produce something.

I’ve also started a declutter and hope to rope in a friend or 2 to assist with this, as I really feel the amount of craft stuff I have actually puts me off crafting – I see all the stuff and feel overwhelmed. I’m sure I’m not the only person who feels like this.

I’ve still been cooking up a storm and made this Chicken Gnocchi Soup last night.

I used a recipe I found on Pinterest as a reference, then changed it about to suit my own taste (the original was very creamy!). It was definitely a winner, so in sure I’ll be making it again.

Thanks for looking.

Oblibby xoxo

I have some almost finished beady things too – really must get them completed -  I hate having stuff lying around that isn’t finished, but I also seem to lose some enthusiasm once I’m about 75% finished – does anyone else have this problem?

I haven’t been doing much beading for the last month or so, which is something that happens every now and again; time just seems to pass me by sometimes.  Luckily I have a week off work later this month, so I’m looking forward to some crafty time, as well as spending time with my lovely hubby.  I even bought a beginners lampworking kit a couple of weeks ago, so definitely planning to spend one day melting glass.  Speaking of lampworking, the wonderful Linda at Inside the Fire gave me these stunners.  I’m really looking forward to making them into something, but also a little scared I don’t do them justice!  The colours are so me – I am like a broken record, the amount of times I say “you can’t go wrong with black, camel and grey”.

Everything else in life is ticking along nicely.  As always, I have a list of things as long as my arm I want to get done…sometimes I even manage to tick one or two of the off the list.  I still need to do a lot of work on my website, and shift this blog over there, but hopefully in the next few weeks, I have that sorted.  At the same time, I also want to tackle all the crap I have in the spare room.  Do you ever feel sometimes you just have way more stuff than you’ll ever need or want – I am definitely feeling this at the moment.  Haha, if there is anything of mine you want – why not ask me.  You never know, the frame of mind I’m in at the moment, you may just get lucky.

Until next time…

Lisa xoxo

Firstly, this Alhambra Tiles bracelet, made from a tutorial by Callie Mitchell, The Peregrine Beader.

For this, I used some lovely Toho size 11 seeds with a hybrid Picasso finish, delicas, size 15 seeds, Swarovski chatons & 4mm bicones and Czech fire polished 4mm beads, also with a hybrid Picasso finish.  It was also my first attempt at cubic right angle weave – definitely a stitch I will do again.

Next up, is this Ruby Pools bracelet, which was my own design (A.K.A. “making it up as you go along”).

I used June’s Acorn Club beads from Oak Tree Crafts for this.  There are size 8, 11 & 15 seeds and 4 & mm Czech fire polished in it, stitched in a combination of right angle weave and peyote.  I love when these wee kits come through my door.

Next up, one I actually completed at the Bead Retreat; a Granada brooch, from Sabine Lippert’s Beaded Fantasies book.

For this one I used Swarovski pearls (in my favourite powdered almond colour), bicones and a rivoli, along with some size 15s.  I am so happy with the colourway of this one – it has a lovely vintagey feel to it.

Finally, a Monochrome Spiral bangle.  One of the very first bits of beading I did was to make one of the these, and I had always intended to go back and do another one, but never quite got around to it (until now):

For this one I used seed beads in size 6, 8, 11 (3 different colours) and 15 (2 different colours).  The only downside to this bangle has been that one of the colours of 15s is frosted and they are very brittle.  Not great when combined with a very stiff bangle, the outcome being that a few of them have snapped.  Hopefully it won’t get any worse, at the moment you can’t really see where they have gone, but definitely something to bear in mind if you are making one of these, especially if it’s for someone else.

Have lots more to share with you all, so will be back soon with another update.

Lisa xoxo

The unfinished bead embroidery and bracelet I showed the last time I posted is still no further forward, but I do have some nice beady creations, just sitting waiting to be photographed.  As soon as I’ve done this, I’ll blog them.

Remember my desire to start dressmaking?  Well I now have a date in the diary with the lovely Lesley to make a duct tape dress form.  It’s not for a few weeks yet, so that gives me plenty of time to sort out all my treasured belongings crap, which has migrated to the spare room.

Talking of dressmaking, I have acquired some luscious fabric since my last post:

I am planning to make a weekend bag with the oilcloth, a winter skirt with the grey cord, a bag and/or kitchen stuff with the ducks and dots, and something fabulously amazing with the brocade.

I have no idea how we managed to get halfway through the year.  I really wanted to have a go at millinery and corsetry this year, but time always seems to be running away with me.  I suppose that is the price I pay for having to work full time, trying to get fit, cooking in order that we eat few processed foods, and trying to squeeze in some craft time whenever I can.  Doesn’t help matters that I’m a bit of a procrastinator.

On the subject of getting fit, I have started roller derby training with Fierce Valley Roller Girls.  I used to be pretty handy on skates in my younger, Coasters days, but changed days now!  To be honest, I was a bit disheartened the first week of training when I couldn’t do all the things I could in my mid teens (well over 25 years ago).  Of course, once I got my realistic head on, I remembered I couldn’t do all these things when I started, the skills came with many, many hours of practice.  I am just so happy I’m getting to skate again.

I’ve also rejoined the gym and been swimming a fair bit.  I’m also keeping up with my yoga and burlesque classes (hence the no time I mentioned earlier).

Will be back in the next few days (I promise this time) with some beady beauties.

Since my last post, I have been doing quite a bit of beading, including resurrecting (and ripping back) my first attempt at bead embroidery.  This is how it is looking after a couple of days:

There’s a bit of everything in here really, seeds, delicas, bugles, hex-cut, firepolished rounds (which aren’t as dark as they look in the photo), Swarovski pearls (3 & 4mm) and a big chunk of stone I got in Fort William a few years ago.  At first I wasn’t sure about the technique, but I’m beginning to enjoy it more now.

I’ve also started this Eye on the Prize bracelet, by Csilla Csmirnaz in the Feb/Mar issue of Beadwork Magazine.  I think mine has made up a bit shorter than the pattern, but don’t want to do any more of it until I’ve found a suitable clasp.

And now, a couple of finished items I’ll probably take along to the next craft fair.  Firstly, this Candy Twist bracelet for girls.  I love working with these sorbet colours, maybe more so because I tend not to wear them myself:

I also made this Ocean Boulevard bracelet from last month’s Acorn Club beads from Oak Tree Crafts.  I’ve been using blue a lot lately, which is new to me; blue was always the colour I found more difficult to use, but I’m really coming round to it now.

I promise I will be back over the weekend, as I have some lovely fabric to show.

Lisa xoxo