25.11.12

Hearts from vintage sheets


I just love these. I starting making them about this time last year, and now I have re-discovered them again.

I first saw these over on Sonjas beautiful blog Det bla huset. Sonja is really the queen of these hearts, and you can see them on her header picture.

She lives in a blue house next to one of Norways amazing fjords, where she creates some lovely things.



What you will need :-

A useful tool is one of these leather punches, I think possibly the holes could be made with something else, but it might be tricky. I got this one from amazon and used it on the number 2 setting.

A small 1.5 crochet hook and some embroidery floss.

A heart shape cardboard stencil.

Wool stuffing.


Once you have cut out the fabric and punched the holes at regular intervals, you can crochet around the edge. Here you can see 2 double crochet (UK) in each hole.

Starting at the top of the heart crochet around until about 2 inches before finishing. Push in the wool using a large crochet hook and shape.

Then finish the crochet and continue into making a loop for hanging.


There is a little bit of a fiddle factor to these! I think they look good when they are nice and plump.

Sonja has a tutorial here. She also uses an iron on fabric before cutting out the hearts and they do look wonderfully neat! You can see some more of her creations herehere and here.


I am tempted to add all kinds of granny chic bling to them, but haven't yet! 

They also look nice made flat, without the stuffing. Perhaps using coloured card or old christmas cards.



I most definitely want to try crocheting around some vintage wallpaper! I'm thinking gift tags or hanging cards......

.....just another little idea to add to the growing collection!

                                                                   ****************

Lastly, I am running a sale voucher in my etsy shop for 20% off until the last day of November. The code is NOVEMBERSALE. You will need to add this code at the check-out.

Have a good week. I will be catching up with you soon, I think it's time for a christmas give-away!

                                                                               xxx  

16.11.12

Autumn abundance

Phew.....it's a journey! thank goodness for that.
and thank you for all your lovely comments on my last post.

I do feel a little better now, a little freer perhaps.

......it's okay, I might wander up and down a few strange paths and try on a few different hats,
but it's all okay.


This is me in my south american hat.
That's my mums chin and my dads nose, and the grey roots are my own!
oh and this hat is very good for covering grey roots!

Speaking of which I have decided to grow out my natural hair colour.
It's been a difficult decision. One that I have been going around in a loop about.

I have started a new pin board on pinterest called stunning grey hair, to inspire me. I have taken all the bottles of dye out of the house. I will just have to go cold turkey on this one. Ah! 

I do have several different issues which have brought me to this decision. Firstly, I want to stop obsessing about the whole should I?.... shouldn't I? of the issue and the constant peering at grey roots.

My mum went grey quite young and dyed her hair for a long time. I don't want to spend years doing this. I'm also concerned about the toxicity of the products when they build up in the body.

it would be nice to be free of the whole issue and just embrace who I am right now! grey hair an all! so wish me luck.

and here are my four happy autumn things this week,


a finished mustard cowl, discovered by Maaike, plus the grey one I'm wearing in the photo. These are my first cowls! Why has it taken me so long to discover these!.....I'm really enjoying wearing them.

an autumn rose, this colour is so nice with the autumn backdrop. I just love the name Autumn rose.......,


candle light in the evenings, a must. This is a pink salt crystal and gives off a lovely glow.

and of course the golden autumn leaves are in all their spendour now.

I hope you are enjoying these misty and foggy autumn days, all my woolies are finding their way on layer by layer! and I have a big wood pile to stack later, that will keep me warm, I will look forward to showing you more soon,

thanks for coming by!





9.11.12

just holding steady

In some ways I'm not sure of my roll here. I find myself quietly holding my space here and wondering,

wondering if I have what it takes to entertain you.....


wondering if 'entertain' is quite the right word!

I'm not sure that writing here is how I imagined it would be, in all the many months of blog reading I have done.

Lately I have been doing much reading and a little exploring. I have caught up with all the people I am following and others who are following me.

I am happy to be here, right now. Life is moving along and slowly we are moving forwards.

It's okay. This is my rythym. This is what I can do.


I worry that I may only be a reader and a dreamer of what I want to do.

Reading about other peoples lives has moved me to change parts of my life and want to create more.

My life has opened up.

Sometimes I feel a little stuck. I want to make things happen. I am looking for inspiration.

I'm not sure.

I'm not lost, just trying to trust that I'll find my way.


I'm not sure what my way is.

I need more 'YES' moments in my life. Yes this feels good moments.

I want to create.

I need to find out what makes me tick.

I need to meet more fun and creative people.



I miss my Mum. I miss her energy. She was my number one fan and support and a kind lady.

I think personally I have been on hold for a longtime.

I need to be okay with where I am now.

Maybe I need to be in the 'real' world a bit more.

I wonder if I can find the part of me you would like to read about, more to the point, that I would like to read about.....!

I feel that expressing what is true now is a good place to start.

Thanks for reading.

p.s. My 52 weeks of happy are in this post. Spotted on my travels this week. x




  

4.11.12

it's raining, it's pouring


I have woken up to a very wet Sunday. The rain is hammering down hard on the conservatory roof making it sound even harder.

My main mission of the day is to get kindling for the fire, oh and old newspapers!

A couple of well timed dog walks.

A clear around the food storage area in the kitchen (I'm sure we have a little mouse) I can hear him jumping around, unless it's the noisy refrigerator.
I will lure him with peanut butter and a humane trap, and will send him on his way.

I slept so deeply last night, after running in the gym. I felt so heavily relaxed and comfortable.
I think I have finally made peace with my quiet existence here.

In the evenings I could well be living in a mountain cabin with just the dog and a fire for company! Of course it might not always be like this and I do get to hear the yelps of action of my teen playing his games in his room.......

but on a cosy saturday night all was well.



my new, old couch and a thrifted blanket. The first glimpses of a white wall. It takes time to evolve a room when you paint it. Looking for the right throws and pictures, it takes time....


A sunny spot in my kitchen. I think I will keep my earthy colours in here and maybe touch them up. It looks so nice with all the wood in here. I like the mexican feel of this throw.

Later in the day I hope to make it into my craft room. I need to have a think about what direction I'm heading in and just spend some time connecting with all my lovely fabric and wool. Who knows where I will go from here.
  
I am so happy to read your lovely comments. Thank you so much  for reading and commenting, it really brightens up my day. Happy sunday to you all,


2.11.12

Catching up!

I am ever so behind with my 52 weeks of happy!
So I shall just throw in some happy things now and again....

Of course there are always ups and downs amongst the happy, but for me the things I notice I am enjoying really seem to follow the season..... Oh and with an occasional bit of thrift thrown in too!


Enjoying the warmth of the wood burner. I am very lucky to have this I know. I think it's originally from Norway, it's such a treat.
My little fireside stool, more about this in a minute. It's so handy to sit on and make up the fire!


My new thrifted, painted chair. Isn't it lovely! I've always wanted to try painting some designs on furniture. Having seen this twice I couldn't let it go a second time.....


The stunning colour of the leaves outside my back door. Just amazing.


The Beech trees at the end of my garden are starting to do spectacular things. During the summer they are a huge wall and now in the winter the views across the valley will open up. Yes you might notice a very old caravan there at the bottom of the garden. I think it's been there forever. One day.....I might tackle it!

This stool cover was very easy to make. I always seem to have a stool like this around and you can pick them up quite cheapily second hand.


It's certainly cheered it up! This is how I attached the cover underneath.


Seems to do the trick.

Well off to put my feet up and warm my toes. I have a finished cowl to show you soon and just the border to go on the second one. Loving making these. A good weekend to all!