Happy Easter/Overindulging on Chocolate Day!!!

Hope you are all having a wonderful Easter! I received some lovely goodies and my dad had an Easter Egg hunt at work (isn't he lucky) which meant even more goodies. I've definitely overindulged on chocolate! Sadly, my body is not as big a fan of junk food as I am. I think I'm going to have massive fruit & vegetable cravings next week.  

I've had such a super lazy week! Ok, I did go into Spring cleaning mode briefly...all bedding was washed and the house even got cleaned twice, bathroom and kitchen included but after that nothing happened! The crochet was abandoned, Zumba wasn't even thought of and the walk was put off nearly everyday. My fiance recently mentioned how I haven't even baked anything for nearly 3 weeks! Shocking! I'm not entirely to blame of course, it's all the weathers fault really...I feel like I should be hibernating. It's meant to be Spring, we are at the end of March and the sky looks lovely and blue, the sun is even shining but the minute you step outside you feel this blast of icy air and back indoors you go! The sofa looks so inviting and a day of reading under a warm blanket sounds so good!

I did end up doing a bit of crochet of course because when you are a crochet addict your week isn't complete without a bit of crochet time. I continued to work on the cat bed until I ran out of yarn and had to order more. It's turning out to be a rather expensive cat bed and a bit of a nightmare really. I finished it yesterday and realised something had gone wrong somewhere because it was all bunched up and not at all dome shaped like it should be! So today it's going to be taken apart! :( I'm starting to wish I just made them a big basket! Crocheting with super chunky yarn is not fun...it hurts! Spoilt cats!

I also spent a bit of time with my scrappy ripple. It makes me smile everytime I see it and it's so warm. We get along better so it's great for when I need to relax. It's nearing the finish line and then I get to sew in all those ends and give it a border! Once it is finished, I'll be starting two big projects. I bought the yarn for them back in January and I've been putting them off for far too long now. I also plan to finish my secret project eventually.

Last Sunday, I finally sat down and sorted out some of my photos that I'd like to get prints of. My only reasons for wanting these prints is because I'm trying to change people's opinion of crochet as it's often still thought of as old fashioned and boring to many. It's not always easy to just go on Ravelry, Flickr or Facebook and show people so I thought it'd be great to make a photo album of some of my projects. It was so exciting waiting for them to arrive & then getting to look at them but I still prefer looking at them on the laptop. I don't why, I just do!

So, that was my week! Not as busy as it usually is but I did get that much needed rest. I also finally finished reading The Host (it was better than I expected) so I can finally move onto the book I've been waiting to read for far too long...Flat Out Matt by the amazing Jessica Park. It's a follow up/companion novella to Flat Out Love which is pretty much my favourite book of all time! I highly recommend it! Her writing and the characters she creates are just totally awesome! 

Next week is going to be a super busy one. Hope to see you back here at the end of it! Have an awesome week! x

Busy little bee!

We've had so many appointment this week, so many early morning and so much general chaos that I've pretty much ended up passed out on the sofa every night by 9pm! I've missed my quiet early morning. Can you believe I haven't had a single morning to myself all week? I need me time and it's been seriously lacking this week! Even my reading has been on hold, which for me is a definite no no as I'm sure you know :) still, my father made us a delicious meal last Sunday & I did get to enjoy a cappuccino on Friday so I guess that makes up for it!

Sadly I've not got much crochet to share with you this week. I did manage to squeeze some in here and there but nothing is finished. Well actually, that's a lie. I did finish the cardigan/waistcoat. I was so happy with the end result but I think it might be too big for a 6 month old (I'm not good at sizing kid's stuff). Hopefully I'll know soon enough and then I'll be off to 'actually' make it because this one was just a sample. My little secret project will have to wait a little longer (I've not even touched it since last week) and the ripple is slowly rippling along. I hope I'll have more to show next week. I'm counting on it being a quiet week which means lots of crochet time...hopefully!

We managed to squeeze in a walk this week in between all the bad weather. It was a slightly overcast day but not too cold. The path was muddy and slippery but we enjoyed every minute of the walk.

We are so lucky to live in this tiny little village and have the option to walk down to the river whenever we feel like it. I love the sound of the river. It's so relaxing. I could easily sit there for hours. We used to go down their for picnics when the weather was sunny so hopefully when it warms up we can start that again.

Now then, as well as being busy with all those other things...I was also busy spending money! I went on a tiny bit of a spending spree................

First, on Monday I spotted this awesome pattern to make a cat nest and decided I just had to make one...or two...or three! I went to my favourite shop....Wool Warehouse and picked out some super chunky yarn! It wasn't easy picking the colours because unfortunately there isn't that great a selection when it comes to super chunky yarn but I succeeded in the end. Within an hour my order had already been dispatched and by Tuesday morning (less than 24hrs) I was sitting looking at a lovely new stash of yarn! Happy Happy Happy! :) Hopefully I'll have a cat's nest to show you next week as I've started one today! I never realised how tough it was crocheting with super chunky yarn though, it's hard work....especially for my poor hands!

And the second spending spree happened when I spotted my favourite peanut butter goodies on Amazon. I love nearly everything Reese related but it's not really available in the UK unless you buy from specialist shops and then it's really expensive! So, when I saw these things available for less than we've paid before and free delivery...well....I went a bit nuts! Total heaven! It got even better when I spotted Butterfingers! Butterfingers are my favourite chocolate (a peanut butter version of a crunchie...what's not to love?) and I only get to have one every few years! Oh if only the shops sold them....................I'm honestly not a chocolate person but there's just something about chocolate and peanut butter being mixed together that turns me into a bit of a chocoholic!

I did do some some sensible shopping as well....like a cooling rack for baking because the tiny microwave ones just don't do the job and a Cath Kidston notebook for storing crochet ideas.

The Cath Kidston notebook is gorgeous! Each page is beautifully decorated all along the borders. I can't wait to start filling it up with things! It's the first Cath Kidston thing that I've ever bought!

And a blog post is not complete without a bit of cat love! I didn't photograph them nearly as much as I usually do but here are a few to share. Our two eldest cats have been fighting for the spot on the top of the barrel (the huge scratching post)! This eventually lead to them sharing it because neither would give up the spot! The eldest (Munchkin) has now claimed it and no one is getting a chance! Soetie (seen above surrounded by brown paper) was in her element when the box of shopping arrived! Cats love boxes and anything that makes crinkly noises!

And because I think we all need a good laugh now and then, I thought I'd include this photo. It's poor quality but it's so funny! This is Vinnie (one of our youngest but also the longest and largest) and he thinks that he can fit into anything including this small plastic container......I think it makes him look like a chicken :D

Thanks again for reading my blog and putting a big smile on my face once a week with your lovely comments! I hope you've all had a good week and I wish you all the best for the week ahead! I plan to do nothing but crochet and read today (Yeah right! Like that'll happen....but it's worth a try!). Hope to see you back here next Sunday! Take care x

Trying to find the positive in the negative!

One of the biggest things I wanted to get & also give from doing this blog was helping myself and others find the good in the bad. To see that life isn't always as bad as we think/feel and to know that yes, we might not have everything we want in life but we still have a lot to be happy about. 

This week has been one of those weeks where my family & I have needed that reminder and at the time it really wasn't easy but we kept trying to see the positive. Sometimes you feel like luck is never on your side and it's then that you need to take a step back and really look at your life. It took a few days but we did it in the end and now it doesn't seem anywhere near as bad as it did at the time. 

Wales - Six Nations Champions 2013 (Image from Walesonline.co.uk)

Then Wales went and won the Six Nations and became the champions for a second year and it made all the negatives of the past week just disappear! We love our rugby and I love our Welsh Rugby Team. They worked so hard and it was all worth it in the end! I was on the edge of my seat for the entire game. They are a team to be proud of!

So, onto our week! We had snow on Tuesday & Saturday! Our weather seems a bit confused! We are now in Spring but still having wintry showers. The poor Daffodils don't seem to be enjoying it, they've all started drooping. I hope Saturday was the last of it!

We went on a little trip on Wednesday to pick up my dad's new (used) car. We got to enjoy these stunning views while we waited. The landscape is one of the many reasons why I love living in Wales so much. We are surrounded by all this beauty! The birds were very friendly and chatty! The weather was more Spring like but it did start to snow a little later and the temperature took a dramatic drop. Our day started off well but took a turn for the worst on our way home. Nothing huge but it definitely was costly & some valuable lessons were learned!

My OH (<---- other half for people like me who didn't know what that abbreviation meant) surprised me with these on Tuesday so we both enjoyed them on Wednesday with our lunch! Aren't they cute? It was a much needed treat after a chaotic day. They were so yummy, especially dipped in a hot cup of tea! If you haven't guessed yet, we've started eating chocolate again. We made it to 50days and that's more than enough!

Although there was a lot of naughty food being eaten this week, there was some healthier things mixed in! I had a huge bowl of strawberries & mango for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed every single piece! We've also been eating a lot of salads lately, especially in our rollls. 

I baked some peanut butter cookies again. They are always my go to cookies because they are so easy to get right! I also made some pancakes for breakfast yesterday. 

Have you ever had lactose free milk? I'm experimenting with it at the moment because I'm trying to figure out what I'm allergic to and what I've found out so far is that it makes the best froth for cappuccinos! Lovely thick froth every time!

We had a bit of an ant issue at the start of the week and a good way of getting rid of them is to use cornmeal. I put some down and of course the cats have to know what it is! Soetie (to the left) had a lovely white chin because she kept licking it! 

We've had the usual relaxing this week, especially with the return of the cold weather! It always amazes me the places they find to sleep and keep warm!

There was a bit of spoiling going on this week! The cats got a new (expensive) toy! It's a scratching barrel and they love it! They have 3 little holes to hide in, a warm spot on top to sleep and a new thing to scratch! It did have some toy mice but Vinnie decided to bite them off. He doesn't like anything that's attached to string! 

While having a dig through boxes (all part of my cleaning, tidying and spring cleaning) I found this interesting little bit of crochet! This is the first thing I ever crocheted & I didn't even have a proper hook! I was using a plastic hook that eventually bent and broke, not surprising considering how tight my tension was! It's nice to be able to look at it and see how I've progressed over the past 4/5 years. My own personal piece of history!

Crochet always puts a smile on my face! I've been asked to help with a pattern for a baby's cardigan. I've never crocheted any clothing before so this is a first for me. It's going to be a waistcoat though so I don't have to worry about the sleeves. I can't say I'm enjoying it yet but maybe when it's done (if I manage to do it) I'll feel better about it. At the moment I'm doing a sample because I don't want to use her expensive yarn just yet!

I purchased some plastic yarn on Thursday from the place where I volunteer. I've got little project in mind that I'm dying to try. Hopefully I'll have some photos to share next week!

And my last little thing to share with you....I created my own little flower pattern (Well, I say my own but I don't think many of the patterns we create can be called our own seeing as there are so many that are just like it!) . It's so easy & the flowers will make great decorations for a little something I'm working on. There is a little sneak peak of it above. I hope it comes out the way I've got it planned out in my head. This is all part of the crochet lessons I'm giving at the moment. A friend told me she wanted to make something and I sat and worked out a little design. Hopefully more on that next week!

Anyway, that's my week! I'm off to do 101 things now! I hope you've had a good week and I wish you all the best for the week ahead! Thanks again for reading my blog!

Sunny days, cats on a lead & scrubbing carpets!

So, how has your week been? Mine has been nuts! We've had total chaos in our house since Monday morning, mainly caused by the cats but hopefully things will calm down now. This week (starting today) will be worse because I plan on sorting each and every room as it's a mess and that bugs me!

My reading goal for the year is onto an awesome start! I've read 14 books so far! It's surprising how much reading you can fit in even when you are busy. It's shocked me a bit this year because I was worried that I wouldn't have the time but I've managed to squeeze it in here and there! I've just finished Reckless by S.C. Stephens. I was worried going into it because I hadn't enjoyed the second book in the series but it definitely exceeded my expectations. I'm now about to start Hopeless by Colleen Hoover which I am totally looking forward to because she is such an amazing writer.

We had some sun this week! It was actually sunny.....no rain and hardly any wind! I'll even go so far as to say it was warm! I got to have a little wonder outside with my camera and the 4 eldest cats. The kittens aren't allowed out but they've never been out so they don't really care. They have too many toys indoors to keep them occupied.

It was lovely to see that our garden is slowly coming back to life after the long winter. The rhubarb has already started to come up and the grass is in need of a trim! I love spring!

Our eldest cat, Munchkin, went out for the first time in about 2 years. She can't see or hear very well and doesn't care for that world much but on Tuesday she decided she wanted to have a wonder. She is only allowed outside on a leash and this was her first time. It was so easy to put it on her and she didn't panic at all outside. She loved it. Meanwhile, Tabby had disappeared (probably off to bully some other poor cat) and Socks & Bella were exploring the back garden.

After a good few hours of running around, it was time to go back inside. Munchkin was carried in by my fiance (she adores him & is pretty much his cat). The rest of the cats slowly and begrudgingly made their way in with a bit of bribery in the form of treats!

It was lovely being able to sit by my laptop with a delicious cup of peppermint tea, try out some new patterns and feel the warmth of the sun!

The ripple really is coming along nicely! It's completely shocked me because it was only meant to be a little scrap project but it's turning out to be a real beauty & a complete joy to work on.

I actually managed to squeeze in some crochet this week! I'm still working on my ripple (that I'm absolutely loving right now). I picked out more colours to add to it so it's going to be bigger than I had planned and it appears to have already been claimed. I also tried out the awesome Lily Pad Hexagon pattern found here on the Colour In A Simple Life blog. It's so cool! My new mission is to try one new crochet thing a week! I wonder how long I can keep that up for....

To add to the chaos and excitement of the week I got the chance to enjoy some glass with my lunch! Yes, I found a very sharp piece of glass in my cream cheese that I'd been happily spreading on my roll! I wasn't at all happy and was shocked that the company at fault didn't even care enough to recall the product!

 On a happier note, we found some time to relax, read and play games! We've been addicted to these games on android called 'Whats The Pic' and 'What's The Word'. They are great fun and really get your brain working. I also baked a yummy chocolate cheesecake using this recipe. They were lovely but very heavy on the stomach so not something you can have a lot of. I think I might try it again but alter it slightly. We have so many left so while we watched the rugby on Saturday (Well Done WALES!!!) we enjoyed one each with tea. My Saturday was probably the busiest day of the whole week! I spent it on my hands & knees scrubbing carpets and floors so it was definitely a well deserved treat after all that hard work!

I will leave you with this cute photo. These two hardly ever sleep near each other (even though they've been living together for a good few years) but it was a cold day and so snuggling was a must! They are our two oldest cats, Socks & Munchkin.

I managed to get my blog done early this week which I'm quite proud of! My Sunday is going to be packed! Hope you all have an amazing week! Thanks again for reading my blog posts! Because you liked the collages, I've started doing them again but hopefully a bit neater than the previous ones! Forgive me, this blogging thing really isn't easy to get the hang of just yet....hopefully one day soon! x

Daffodils, ripples & chaos!

I've had a busy week and when I say busy I mean busier than any week so far this year! Now, as I mentioned before, my fiance is currently undergoing physio due to a condition he has and boy is it tiring! As well as once a week early appointments, we also have to do stretching exercises twice a day. He can get his legs to 60 degrees which is awesome because before that he could only do 45 degrees. So the stretches are working! It will all be worth it in the end though because hopefully it'll mean we can start going for lovely walks in Spring! I can't wait! And just to add to the chaos of the week I went & fractured my toe! Only a tiny fracture but a very nasty bruise (I won't show you)! I was emptying the cylinder on the vacuum cleaner, barefoot and it fell out of my hand and onto my toe! Ouch! I think I learned a valuable lesson!

We had a meeting on Monday about a few new things we'll be involved in later this year. I'll have more details on that in the coming months. Later that evening, we were invited to a surprise 75th Birthday get together for a friend of ours. It was a lovely & very relaxed evening with friends. We were given a bit of delicious cake to take home after. That was one of the fun part of the week! 

I did find a little bit of time to relax here and there! There is nothing better than a hot beverage and a good book after a long day. I love getting up early in the morning, usually about 2 or 3 hours before everyone else. I make my breakfast and then relax & read for a bit before I have to wake up the house. I cherish the days when that is possible!

I made a daffodil this week thanks to this wonderful pattern! I've got two books with daffodil patterns but I just couldn't get my head around them. I saw this on on Lucy's blog late Thursday night and sat there making one. It was so easy & super fun! I plan on using them in a charity project.

 I've also been working on an interlocking ripple this week using the neat ripple pattern. I couldn't figure out how it worked before and what side to start the next rows so I made a small sample one and it just clicked. Then on Wednesday, I decided to make one using my scraps and old stash of Stylecraft Special DK. The colours might end up being a bit nuts but it might work out! So far so good! The cat in the above photos is called Moe and he is completely crazy! He loves to burrow into my bags, especially when they contain yarn or any projects I'm working on and peddle. He's the one we make the den/fort for on the sofa because he likes to burrow under the blankets. Today he picked the exact moment I was taking photos to climb inside!

The stew and dumplings my father made last Sunday in the slow cooker was divine! Perfect winter food! He also treated us to banana splits on Friday night, something I've not had in years! 

This is Socks, one of our older cats. She spends most of her time in that little cardboard house or on the sofa snuggled up under a blanket. We usually have to fight her for a seat. The cardboard house is really cool. It has a scratch thing inside it that keeps them happy. 

These are our youngest. They'll be 2 years old this year. Moe is the one in the yarn bag (again) and the black one is his sister, Soetie. Next to her, sharing the sofa (which very rarely happens) is their brother Vinnie. He's probably the largest cat in the house (and the naughtiest). I had a sort out yesterday, moving scraps and old yarn into one bag and new into another. Most of my hooks and stitch markers are in one place now so they should be easier to find. The cats loved it! They took a dive into the huge yarn bag like it was a swimming pool! 

The catnip obviously didn't help the situation much but they had fun! Catnip mad! He loves it!

 Today has been all about snuggles & blankets though. This was taken earlier in the week but this is something he does all the time. 

Ok, well that's my post for today done! I've changed a few things on the blog here and there. I got a bit fed up with my collages (that's the perfectionist in me coming out) so have decided to post the photos on their own or in groups of two. Let me know what you think...I appreciate all comments!

I've got another busy week ahead but I'll still see you here in a weeks time! Hope you all have an awesome week!