Christmas, Crochet And Contemplation

After spending an obscene amount of time lounging around in my new snowman pyjamas, having a flagrant disregard for good nutrition, hurling both red wine and chicken liver pate onto a very forgiving person's carpet, dusting off my dancing shoes, winning Trivial Pursuit and losing Articulate (and still wishing it was the other way round), spending more money than I actually have and being gifted so many fragrant candles that I'm starting to wonder if my house stinks, I'm back!  Hello!

It's been a funny old Christmas.  A nice funny old Christmas but I've had enough now.  I'm itching to take the tree and decorations down and set-to with my vacuum cleaner and it's myriad of clever attachments.  I'm craving colourful food and am bordering on desperate for my little family to naff off back to work and school.  There, I've said it.  I haven't been alone once in fifteen days and I'm missing my own personal space.  Time to think, plan and just be without interruption.

I had every intention of leaping back here, gazelle-like, with my very own version of a 'Crochet New Year's Honours List' but some very sad news stopped me in my tracks.  On a pre-Christmas potter around my favourite blogs, I learned of the tragic death of Vanessa Cabban from Lisa at Mrs BoboBun.  Vanessa had a blog, Do You Mind If I Knit.  It was one of the very first blogs I ever came across and both enchanted and inspired me from day one.  Vanessa knitted, crocheted, sculpted and illustrated children's books.  She was the most unassuming girl and to this day I am convinced she had absolutely no idea how many people's lives she touched with her beautiful, colourful creations and warm and generous spirit.  Vanessa's ethos was to make time to knit at least a couple of rows every day.  You may well have come across her or her makes at some point but, if you haven't, do please go and pay a visit to her blog.  You'll see exactly what I mean.

To coincide with her funeral, at 11am exactly today, a large number of us on Instagram (and Facebook) all posted a picture of something we are currently creating or a particular memory of Vanessa, tagging it with her name.  It was a very poignant and emotional moment and wonderful tribute, and made me feel so proud to be part of this community.

So we are rapidly approaching a brand new year and I have a feeling that changes are afoot in 2015.  I'm not exactly sure what and am ever hopeful they are positive.  I have my usual sense of excitement tinged with very slight trepidation.

I hope you all had a super duper Christmas and I'll see you next year. ;-)

xxx

Looking Back … August To December 2014

I'll be back in a couple of weeks.  In the meantime, I should like to thank you for your friendship and to wish you all a very, very ...

Love from Heather

xxx

Looking Back … January To July 2014

One of the highlights of any blogger's year is the 'end of year collage'.  It's a deliciously self-indulgent look back at the last twelve months and is no small job.  I also use the opportunity to have a jolly good organise and an all essential back-up of my (hundreds of) pictures.  Since getting my DSLR camera for Christmas last year, I have definitely fallen in love with photography.  I still rely on instinct more than knowledge (no idea what some of the settings even mean) but I'm so enjoying it.

I'm going to do my 2014 round-up in three parts.  Today I'd like to share my favourite photographs from January to July inclusive.  August to December collages will follow in a day or so.  I am then going to have a little bloggy break until just after Christmas when I shall return with my very own awards ceremony.  Yep, you read right!  You'll see!  ;-)

In the meantime ...

xxx

Five

It is five years since my very first blog post.  Well, it was five years yesterday.

Blogging has brought me more pleasure than I could possibly say.

I want to thank each and every one of you for your friendship.

From the bottom of my heart.

Diddy Heart Pattern (UK)

Ch 2, 11 htr in 2nd ch from hook, ss to 1st htr to join

Ch 2, 2 tr, 2 htr, dc, dc, dc ch 2 dc, dc, dc, 2 htr, 2 tr, ch 1, ss

Diddy Heart Pattern (US)

Ch 2, 11 hdc in 2nd ch from hook, ss to 1st hdc to join

Ch 2, 2 dc, 2 hdc, sc, sc, sc ch 2 sc, sc, sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, ch 1, ss

From me to you, with love.

xxx

A Brief Respite

At the beginning of every single year, I resolve to be more organised.  At the end of every single year, I kick myself for being so bloody disorganised.  Well, no more.  You, my friends, are my witnesses.  2015 is going to see a new me.  A manic diary-keeping, list-writing me who has all Christmas presents bought/made and wrapped by the end of September.  I shall have meals planned weeks in advance, my social engagements will be cleverly-arranged and equidistant, and my life will run like clockwork.

Did you just see that pig fly past the window? ;-)

How are you?  Are you buzzing with festive excitement or are you slightly frazzled too?

By way of a brief respite, I thought I'd pop by and take the opportunity to share a few 'happies' with you ...

❤  No flashing reindeer badges for me yet - I am completely smitten with my new pretty felt flower corsage and am wearing it nearly all the time, mostly pinned to my Miss Piggy Ponchette.  It is my second purchase from this lovely lady on Etsy.  I'm thinking it would also look rather cute on a crocheted hat?

❤  I have a serious mitt habit, lest you'd not noticed.  Using my own pattern,  I've made myself another pair of Rosie Mitts, this time in spring brussels sprout green.

❤  Candles.  I can't pretend I'm liking these dark evenings one jot but fragrant flickering candles and twinkling fairy lights do help.  My favourite Yankee Candle is currently Snowflake Cookie - it is just how I imagine heaven must smell.

❤  Slowly, slowly I'm introducing little Christmassy touches, each one causing a teeny frisson of excitement.  I know some of you already have your trees up but we have a gazillion birthdays first.  I rather like the gradual build-up, it's like festive foreplay! ;-)

❤  Beautiful sunrises.  No filter.  No words needed.

❤  Crumpets.  What can I say?  Hot and dripping with butter.  It's a comfort (and elasticated waistband) thing.

❤  My new calendar.  I'm sorry Katie Daisy but you have been usurped.  2015 will be Caroline Gardner and her Muchly Lovely Family Organiser's year.

❤  One of the aforementioned December birthdays is today.  My baby boy is 16.  Sixteen!!!  We spent last weekend in Nottingham to celebrate.  We had a fabulous supper at Jamie's Italian and then the boys went to a Kasabian concert (which is a little ironic considering all the band members live within a mile of us here in Leicester, with one of them just around the corner).  I shall be cooking his chosen birthday supper of risotto tonight and I daresay he will pester me for my "when I was in labour for 25 hours …" story.  Not!!!  (A quick reminisce is a mother's prerogative on her child's birthday is it not?!)

Of course, it goes without saying that I was extremely young when I had him. ;-)

Have a super week all and I'll see you soon.

xxx