Return to the blogosphere

It's over a year since I last blogged.  It just kind of fell out of the routine of things.  I had work issues and time issues (and probably more issues than I care to admit!), but I find blogging - and getting things "out there" cathartic and I really enjoy writing.


I love following other blogs, Mummy Blogs (mlogs?!), Techie Blogs, Crafty Blogs, Foodie Blogs... and you can see I have updated my links to Blogs I Love.  I'm inspired by other blogs such as The Unmumsy Mum, and the ones on Scary Mommy.  More recently a friend of mine who has 8 month old twins, and two other gorgeous children has started a blog.... you can catch her at reallifemammy.  Reading her words reminded me that I have a blog that has been untouched and unloved for a year or more.


I'm going to make a return to the blogosphere.


Watch this space.

Spring has sprung!

Well it has in my house anyway! I've finished my Attic24 inspired Spring Wreath....

From its humble beginnings... 

To the first flowers:  

Via a stint as interesting headwear... 

It's finally finished..... 

Shall we have another look??

I LOVE IT

I've had so much fun making this one.... Searching for patterns for flowers and hearts and crocheting them all in a beautiful riot of Spring colour! 

The wool I used is Stylecraft Special DK in the following colours:

Lipstick
Fondant
Pale Rose
Raspberry
Citron
Spring Green
Wisteria
Cream
Aster
Meadow
Lemon
Saffron
Magenta
Violet

I hooked it all up on 3mm, 3.5mm and 4mm hooks.

The patterns I used are here:

http://www.rosecottagecrafts.com/product-tag/pansy/  (use the Free Download)
http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/crochet-daffodil.html
http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/japanese-quince-flower.html
http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/may-roses.html
http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/teeny-tiny-flowers.html
http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/teeny-tiny-hearts.html
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/daisy-chain-kit

unravel 2014

So, my gorgeous friend Emily and I went to unravel 2014 at the Farnham Maltings on Sunday....

The weather was overcast, and if I'm totally honest bloomin' freezing... But no matter..... We were indoors! With lots and lots of yarn, buttons, hooky things, more yarn, and even more lovely things we hadn't considered!

After getting very large coffees we entered the marketplace... There was a collective gasp of appreciation at what lay before us.... 

We saw some fabulous things.... Check out this beautiful crochet blanket? Maybe it's too beautiful to be used as a blanket (especially in a household where The Wilburbeast lives) maybe it's a wall hanging... Either way it's truly awe-inspiring! 

Tucked away in a room bearing this sign:there were a lot of lovely people demonstrating their lovely crafts and skills.  Emily spoke to a lovely lady who was spinning yarn using a drop spindle. Emily had a go and was given a piece of her very own spun yarn and a recommendation to seek out the drop spindle kits by Hilltop Cloud....

We dutifully sought out Hilltop Cloud, and met Katie... She was lovely and explained about learning to spin... She even convinced me to try it and I too came away with a Learn To Spin kit! Ems and I are getting together for a spinning evening - watch this space!

Also on our yarny meanderings around unravel we met the lovely Sparkleduck who introduced us to hand dyed baby camel yarn (always baby camel apparently because who wants to shear a fully grown one?!) and while I was tempted by baby camel I totally fell in love with the sea cell and silk mix in a gorgeous blue called Bluebell, shamelessly inspired by Sparkleduck's own display of lighter than air shawls and wraps... I feel a shawl coming on.....!

We also stumbled upon the easyknits stall.... Wow. Just wow. Lovely, colourful, beautiful yarns in wonderful Technicolour with names like Cocktails at Dusk, Goblin Bath and Frozen Heart... I'm amazed we only came away with one skein each.... Especially after the very nice gentleman, (whom I later learned was Jon Dunn-Ballam after perusing the easyknits website) on the stall was knitting on a circular needle and telling us all about his daschund who would be getting treats bought with some of the proceeds from the day's sales.

We swung by the "Best In Show" display.... Saw some fab illusion knitting, and a winning crochet vest by a 12 year old (crochet is not just for grannies!)

We wandered back through the demonstration area, and saw the winner of the Best In Show (Miss Crochet Vest) casually spinning yarn on a wheel!!! She's definitely cool.... I bet she does Art and Textiles at school when she's older! 

Crummy hubby better think himself lucky that we do not have room for a wheel! 

My beauteous bounty from unravel:

Pre-School Days are here again…

Well, the day has finally come.  The Wilburbeast (the youngest member of the Crummy Family) starts pre-school.  He is too SMALL, he is my wee bundle of boyness, my BABY. 

I felt the same wrench when Miss Bags started pre-school too – oh how I missed her on my days off,  those sleepy mid-afternoon snuggles, playing in the garden all day, the house filled with her incessant chatter;  but I knew that The Wilburbeast was on his way.  Whilst I had no idea what pre-school entailed, how she would feel or how I would feel; and that scared me – Miss Bags wasn’t my youngest.  I would still have a baby at home.

Now however, The Wilburbeast IS my youngest.  I have none of those pre-school newness worries!  The pre-school we have chosen is the same one Miss Bags went to – with many of the same staff.  It’s a fabulous pre-school and I know he will be very happy there.  But he is my BABY.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to seeing him grow as an individual, develop his personality and make his own friends.  I can’t wait for the first splodgy painting, and first wobbly tracing of his name. But he is still my BABY!

I guess this is more about ME and less about The Wilburbeast.  I’ll miss him laughing at me when I weigh the veg in Sainsburys, and ticklefighting, and puddle jumping, his mess and his chat… I’ll miss him the same way I missed Miss Bags, and I’ll revel in his growth and development the same way I do hers, in a glow of proud parentage…  but part of me will be sad because my babies are growing up and we have decided not to have any more.  I know in my head that decision is right for us as a family, but I’m not quite ready to admit it to my heart yet….

Six Nations Fever

Never has a household been so polarised as the Crummy Household during the 6 Nations…

 

Crummy Hubby, being a proud Scot, supports Scotland.  Me, I support Wales, as does my Mum.  Dad – well, he’s England all the way…. The kids? Who knows!?  I guess we’ll let them make their minds up!  Miss Bags swings wildly from “the red ones – like Mummy!” to “the green ones cos that is my favourite color!”  The Wilburbeast will cheer every time someone else does, although he does leave the room when I sing along to Hen Wlad FyNhadhau – “No Mummy, No SINGING!”

 

This year’s tournament opened today at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff where Wales began the defence of their 2013 Six Nations Championship title by taking on Gli Azzurri (Italy). I didn't get to watch it due to an unscheduled visit to the hospital with Miss Bags and a gammy hip, but I'm pleased to report they won 23-15....C’mon boys!

2014 in the Crummy House

Well, it has take me five weeks (!) to FINALLY get back in the swing of things after Christmas.  Christmas was (as always) a lovely time in our house... Full of love and warmth and cheer... And lots and lots of FOOD! My mother over catered before me, her mother over catered before her... You get the picture!

Here is a wee taster of our Christmas Celebrations.... 

And I got to have my very own Attic24 Ta-Dah! moment.... I made a crochet Christmas wreath:

All kudos totally goes to Lucy at Attic24 for her inspirational blog and her wonderful crochet ideas! If you haven't already, do pop over and see her in the Attic, I promise you'll love it! I can honestly say I wouldn't be able to crochet without her expert tutorials!

Anyhoo - enough looking back! Onwards to 2014, which as I type is 1/12th over already!!

2014 is shaping up to be a great year in the Crummy House...  Future milestones include (more about these in upcoming posts I expect!):

• The Six Nations starts at the weekend! (a wee bit of friendly rivalry never hurt anyone!)
• The Wilburbeast starts pre-school (he's too SMALL!)
• Miss Bags turns 6 in March (I have birthday party angst already!)
• The Wilburbeast turns 3 in May.
• We are going to the Commonwealth Games on Glasgow in July.
• We are off on out holidays to Portugal in August.
• I'm going on a girlie road trip to Yarndale 2014 with some of my besties!

Hope 2014 is being good to you too xxx

Stir It Up Sunday

Ok so I know Stir It Up Sunday is traditionally for Christmas Pud, but I thought I'd make my mincemeat today....

I use Delia's recipe... You can't go wrong with a bit of Delia.  Except I don't use the almonds; I replace them with Glacé Cherries. So yesterday, we had this: 

I left it overnight in the Laundry Room (no radiator in there so nice and cool).  This morning I put it in a barely warm oven and left it.

3 hours later we had this:

I left it to cool completely, as suggested by Queen Delia in her recipe, before stirring in the brandy and dividing between sterilised jars.

Miss Bags and I will make our mincers later in December....  Watch this space!

Happy Stir It Up Sunday to you... I hope all your wishes come true....! xx

For Delia's recipe see here: 

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/mincemeat/home-made-christmas-mincemeat.html