Still driving me round the bend as it says I can do it then doesn't let me.

Oh dear, never did half what I said I was going to, nearly a year since I wrote on here.   So much has happened over the past year, broadened the number of friends with some lovely people.  I won't commit to much as mum still has to be my priority but when I can get to see them I really enjoy it.  I have made a cardigan, which I haven't taken a photograph of yet, started a Tunisian afghan, which I love but am getting onto more difficult blocks and am not sure now.    I have made a pair of socks and have wool to start another pair, so easy.  Love them.   Also have a grey cable cardie, which I like but I have to pick up the stitches and do a cable down the sleeve, not difficult but needs concentration to get it right.    Have to book out time, its quite thick so will need it soon.

I have also started journalling which is opening up all sorts of thoughts and opportunities for me - thats exciting.     Apart from mum who is always going to get worse, I have had a good year, if I wasn't here I wouldn't have done half as much.  Also got to know through Facebook some people in Somerset who I hope to visit when I go back in November.  So many people to see so little time to see them.

I love my socks - bit big but still

I want to write underneath these blocks but I don't know so bloody frustrating.   Anyway thats 5 of the 35 blocks, I will post a photo of the whole afghan when its finished save me posting 35 separate pictures.

My chair 19/9/15

I was obviously going to post about my lovely chair on here but must have been having problems with the blog or keyboard or something as there is nothing here.  

Well my chair:  

I am really pleased with it.   I was looking in a shop in Gravesend that had 'free books'    I thought it seemed strange so I went in for a nosey.      Was talking to the chap in there, he was sitting in a low rocker, and I said 'I love your chair.'  He asked me if I wanted it.  I wasn't sure if I was being teased so I said I would love it but couldn't manage it with mum and the wheelchair.

The following Wednesday when mum was at her club I went back in and asked him if he meant I could have the chair.  He said I could but was going out so wouldn't be able to help me get it in the car.       Well I wasn't going to be outdone by a chair.   I carried it for about 100 yards towards the lift.   Had a rest, then another 100 yards.  In the lift, out, luckily I hadn't parked too far from the lift!    

I am driving a Ka at the moment, and it might have been a struggle but I wasn't giving up.    We arrived home safely.    Then the struggle to get it out of the car into the garage where it lives at the moment.   The next day my arms were quite achey!!!!!   It needs a clean and cushions but I love it.

I bought some foam 5ins for the seat and 4ins for the back.   I am going to cover them initially in calico to protect them, then decide on the covers proper.   I need a pouf to put my feet on when i am sitting in it.   So another project for after Christmas.

Oh Dear

It has been ages since I wrote on here.  As I said I pressed something and it annoyed me because I did'nt like the layout and couldn't change it.    Now it is white hopefully I can't mess it up again.   I did want it looking nice but at the end of the day it is not important.   Not sure how long I will be able to continue this because the keyboard makes a noise, it annoys me and I am using it.    Anyway selection of Christmas cards made this year

Cards for the boys

Card for work

One of a varied selection of Christmas Cards

Side view of star card

Front view of star

In-Laws 60th Anniversary

Some I didn't take photos of, I don't know why.   I have made two scarves, just waiting to be posted.     I am also making a mood blanket, which should be a square a day in a colour to reflect your mood.    Thought it would be interesting to see at end of year.

I nearly forgot my wreath, Lynn wanted to make one but wasn't sure how much wool she would need, well I looked at it and ended up making this:                                                            

It is slightly smaller than Lynns but was generally pleased with it.   Jazz helped me make the first two roses which are shown below.   I reshuffled it around several times.  Jazz had lots of ideas she wanted to make but didn't get round to it this year.    We will get her one next year.   Some of the ideas would be great for the kids.  I know Rosie would like one on her door.   Stevie would probably like a Lego one.

I also made baubles for the children,  I saw the little plastic baubles on line but they were in Michaels in USA.  The postage made it ridiculous but Lynn sent them to me so I was able to make hot chocolate baubles for the children.   I thought they looked nice








I think Lynn sent us the Clementine Candle idea, I quite liked it, you cut a clementine in half and scooped out the flesh, which I ate, leaving the pith standing in the centre.   Put olive oil in the bottom half, cut a star or shape in the top half, the light the pith to use as a wick.   It took 'several matches' as stated in the instructions but once it had been standing for a while it lit quite easily, I thought it looked nice.




Will try to keep this blog up a bit more with the things I make.

Venting 28/6/14

Obvious I pressed something in the last post which put a load of pictures and writing in a box and I can manage to undo it.   I think I mentioned that I was rather frustrated with it.  It makes it worse that I know it is my fault and I can't undo it.   If I click the undo button I will have to re do it all again  Right now that is an option - can't stand things not being right.  this blog is far from right as I don't understand how to do it properly


Decided for now to leave that last blog as I am getting frustrated with it.  Managed to move some photos around so that is better.

Wanted to put my boots on here cos I love them:

 See through boots with fancy socks!!!!!!!!!

I have to put some trampolining photos on here cos we all had fun, even though I was only watching!!!

The reason  we were all there was for a birthday barbeque.   Cooked exquisitely by Michael, helped by the vary capable Tommy.  We didn't count the candles.

Mid year post

June 28th 2014

I do want to do this more often but I am too busy making or doing alterations.  I have taken up four pairs trousers, put zips in two dresses, and much more it feels like.    I have made two leaving cards for friends at work, I was very pleased with them and they were well received so that was good.   The trouble is having enough space for everyone to write on them.  We have a few people that like to write quite a bit and some write large. 

I never put my Easter competition entry on here so will do that now.  

 This is the finished case,  I enjoyed making it, just got carried away as usual.  

The chicks I gave to Rose cos I thought they were sweet.   The eggs I posted to the boys, I thought they could play catch without destroying the house too much.    

These eggs were interesting to do, they were wrapped in silk prints ( bought ties from the Charity shops) and boiled, the print comes off onto the eggs.  It is recommended that you don't eat the eggs afterwards as it is not known what is in the die.  It was the first time I had made them so was totally unaware of what they would look like.

I want to write next to my pictures but everything has a mind of its own and the pictures move about.    Why isn't it simple?      Frustrating.

                    

                                                                                   

  Anyway the flowers on the lid I stuck onto a head band for Rosie, it looked very pretty when I saw her wearing it. , the rabbit was named Lily and went to live with Jazz. 

         

I found a pattern for some chickens I liked, in the same family as the chick, long legged.  So as my sister always wanted chickens but lives in an apartment I thought I would make them for her, not sure if she liked them.    

                        

It started out with me just making the chickens cos I liked the pattern.   I started with the brown one, and put geen feet on it, then I made the whitish one and the brown one was shorter and fatter, like me and my youngest sister.  As she works in a garden centre I put the chicken in a flower garden.   Then I made the black one, it has a slight glittery effect as she likes a 'bit of bling' as she says, and made a cake with that one as she is really good at making cakes and decorating them.    I have only just realised I don't have a picture of the black one!!!  Boo hoo.      Can't believe I didn't take a picture of them all together.

I will put on the pictures now of the two cards I made.   The flowers are stuck on a 12 x 12 canvas, I stuck the pages which had been written on by my colleagues on the back once they were finished.   There were 5 A4 pages with best wishes on for my dear friend.  

I found the idea in a magazine, I did pay for the pattern so I have stolen the idea, just adopted it.   You may recognised the first rose Jazz, it is slightly orange compared to the others but I thought you wouldn't mind if I used it.    I made a box to put it in too as I didn't want the flowers to get squashed.   I spent some time talking to my friend to find out what she liked, she has arthritis quite badly, having had it since she was 5, at least thats the first time she remembers going into hospital.   She likes reading and sitting in her garden, so I made a garden for indoors too.    She also mentioned she saw a bench she liked in the garden centre so I mentioned it for the collection, and that is what her husband is going to get with the vouchers.   Really pleased with the whole thing.   She is a lovely person and deserved everything.

This is getting boring as I cn't move the pictures and write my text next to them.  This is going to be a line of photos with my comments underneath.  So frustrating

 Anyway Rachel's card was designed to be hung like bunting.   I did the box for that too.

  

The caterpillar, face, heart, rabbit and pram were made from the shapes in clip art.   I did extra shapes and cut them out to raise the wheels, caterpiller's face, the rabbits arms and feet,   I also did the balloons from clip art, the effects you can use are fun, the hearts were bevels to give them highlights.  It took me a while to decide what sort of card I could make as there were many signatures to put on it.    I tend not to worry about how to do things cost I know the idea will come to me when its ready.    The hard part is how am I going to get from a pile of paper, card and the computer to the finished product I had in my head.     

I also quickly made a reply card for a golden wedding anniversay which we have been invited to.   Although it is Gold, the flower is violet and I love purple so that was all the excuse I needed.    

Also have made a birthday card for a special lady but can't post pictures of that yet.    Will do soon.

I think that will do for today.   I have enough of a long string of pictures.  I will sort out this problem.   Determination thats what its called.