Things making me smile ♡♡

Despite the fact the weather seems to have let itself go and I've got to go to work in a bit - my heart is all skippity-happy♡♡ at the things I've been doing.....

I've had the delightful terrible chore of having to go through my wools to get a couple of orders ready. The urge to caress each hank is wonderful awful......

Isn't the green gorgeous, it is so so so soft. I must admit I adore the silky sheen on the heather - hope their new owners love them as much as I do!! I'm loving having the hawthorn tree wool  - it's like having a sweet shop with out the calories :)


Also on the enjoyment Richter scale ♡is some crochet dalliances.

I've been attempting to crochet a mesh style shopping bag.  The first one was met with some interesting comments -------

Is that a lobster net?
Looks like a scratchy string vest!
Can I have that for my husband to wear?
Is that Marge Simpson's hair net?.............................................

Gee guys - glad to be of some amusement :)
Any way (sorry no photos yet coz the battery is on charge) I soldiered on and finished my mesh/net/vest/bag, even attempting a flowery embellishment (which only served to increase its similarity to a vest, so I removed it sharpish)
Even I have to admit that it looked a bit...wonky.

But anyhoo all in the spirit of creating useful things that I can use, I filled my mesh bag with goodies and it stretched downwards and downwards and downwards until clunk it reached the floor. Hmmmmmmm - photos will follow I promise if only to serve to amuse you lot too!

So, undaunted, I used it to carry my bag and lunch to work yesterday - to trial it you see- that too only caused mirth and merriment from my work colleagues.

Now.... after a search on the net and searching in my heart - I have ditched (but not frogged) the first attempt and am now trying attempt part two. I found a cone of a yummy lilac in Jonathon Jo and it called out to me

***I am the mesh bag of your dreams***** 

well, we'll see.

The house is smelling gorgeous with the end of season sweet peas, they have done so well this year, filling our days with their wonderful scent. It is such a gentle but deep smell, makes me really happy - I shall miss them when the first frosts finish them off.

Also making me feel rather happy is all our garnering and harvesting, I mentioned it a couple of posts ago so I thought I'd finish off with a montage of our apple processing and ultimate sampling of scrumptiousness with lashings of custard - ooooh hmmmmmmmmmmm nom nom nom....

Looking back at the montages I realise I have just revealed a serious dose of inner girliness - just look at the colours - lilacs, pinks and purples...........

Will finish here, need to post off some wools and tidy up before leaving the house, boo - got so so much more playing to do.

♡Hope you all have a lovely day :)xxxxxxxxxxxx

A Heart for Jonathon Jo

Today's heart ...............

....is a deliciously cinnamon scented one made with vintage linen and ribbons. A delightful find from this lovely  little shop last time I was down in Anglesey.

It was an impulse buy that, once I returned home, I knew exactly where I wanted it to linger.

So now, hanging with my yarns, wools, threads and my other crafty stuff is this heart. And those who know me, know that my yarn store is called Jonathon Jo.

Why? Well in the poem written by A.A.Milne, whatever the child asked for, be it "a ball or a bat or something like that", the old gardener,  Jonathan Jo had one in his wheelbarrow. I see my craft cupboard a bit like that.





Anyway back to today's heart.

I took a picture of the ribbon and was delighted at the detail once it was blown up - it looks like the most perfect little cross stitch - I love it!

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Sunday's weather has been even more disappointing than Saturdays - especially as we had hoped to get out for a walk this afternoon but sadly rain stopped play.........

So, to help jolly up my day, I shall share with you a charity shop purchase I found yesterday when we were in Hebden Bridge..........

I just love-love-love these bone china mugs with their  wonderful selection of tea cups and tea pots adorning them! They were less than a pound each so what a bargain. I had in mind to use them at our knit and natter but it seems my two have other plans and this afternoon the boys commandeered them for a mug of tea!

On a more forward (optimistic) note, I have bought some potatoes and set them out on the obligatory egg boxes to start the chitting process....... I love that promise of things to come!

Also on a good note - our washing machine which had decided to sulk then refused pointblank to work, finally gave up, so we took it out for a drive to the tip and bought ourselves a nice new one with a good environment rating and better water saving - woopoo!! 

While we were out in the car, I took my latest crochet project along and I was able to finish it! All I need now are some decent photos then I will blog about it.

Well, that in a nutshell was Sunday - I am rushing coz my three boys are hovering, the rain has stopped so we are going to rush out for a brief bit of fresh air before it gets too dark.

It's been lovely chatting with you, hope your weekend was fun! Byeeeee xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


Ps - I keep forgetting to add the link to last years hearty happenings - so here it is......here!!

01.12.09

December.
We don't rush to put up the tree in our house, we used to, but not any more.
We tend to wait for the weekend that the boys breakup from school,
then the three of us,
each taking turn to supervise,
put the kettle on and make tea,
change the music
and decorate the tree.
But- something we always have - advent calendars.

Granny and Bumpa painstakingly collect and assemble a delightful choice for my boys each year.
A few years ago, my Mom made the calendars
and they are brought out every festive season and hung up
for the boys to find.



This will be the first Christmas of my life that my Gran has not bought me one
 - She died New Year's day 2009.
 I am sure my Mom will feel pangs of loss too, we all do.

A moment, a thought, a memory slips in to my head and it jolts it as fresh as the day it happened.

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I took my camera outside into the garden today, caught some frost.

Then came inside and decided to make an advent calender for work

- yes I know,

but better late than never.

I opened  Jonathan Jo

and found all sorts of interesting things.

And made these.........

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In our garden we have a collection of 'findings'

When we walk,

we find 'treasure'

other people's cast asides becomes ours.

And, when frosty, the rusting farm tools

have a beauty of their own.

Time for work.

10.11.09

I opened Jonathon Joe (link) today -
For, there silently waiting for me,
were the wools
that I'd been given by him
whilst on holiday in the Orkneys.

They had been gently calling to me
for a while now,
but they had to wait,
as other louder and more
insistent projects needed to be completed.

Now it is their turn.
I carefully lifted each one,
squeezed them gently,
took in their lanolin scent.

Staring at the yarns,
I wonder how best to use them.

All the while I can see the places they came from.

I hope I can do them justice.

23.10.09
'Fancy going to the wool shop?' she asked
'I need some more wools for my babette blanket'

Silly question really - of course I would go,

not that I needed to buy anything -

just going for moral support

just going to look

just going to feel

I've got a cupboard full of yarns at home.

My yarn cupboard has a name - He's called Jonathan Jo link
After an A.A.Milne poem.
My Jonathan Jo is a cupboard full of surprises.


Anyway, we went shopping - and I could not help myself. 
It is an addiction. 
I now have even more yarn.

I blame my friend - she dragged me along....