In the woods

When we woke up on Saturday the sun was streaming through the window and it was so warm. As hubby had to work i decided to take the kids out to a little local wood. Its somewhere i used to go a lot when i was a kid to walk the dog or with a friend for a picnic, then as a teenager just to hang out with my friends ( not doing anything bad by the way).

Its quite an interesting place, its a small woodland in the middle of a lot of big houses tucked away with three entrance points still with there original gate post from the hunting lodge that once stood in the middle of it.

This was back when the area i live in was all open space and, marsh lands covered in rabbit warrens going down to the sea.

This is the hunting lodge that was then used as a girls school till it was demolished in the 70's. You can read some information about the history at http://wyrearchaeology.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/life-and-times-of-towers.html  This is also where i got this photo from.

These are the original gate posts there are three enterences and past each of them they have these sheep gates

I had taken with us a picnic and some bread to feed the ducks. Fred has quacked non stop since the last time we were here. It was nice just to be able to sit with my flask and enjoy the sun and the quiet whilst they were eating sausage rolls and biscuits and i had my flask of tea.

The kids fed the ducks, well Fred ate his bread!!

I had taken with us some woodland activity sheets. They have ideas of things to do and this one included a list  and pictures  of leaves from different trees common to woodlands in this country that the children had to find. We also had a little booklet chart of leaves that had better pictures of the leaves and buds and seeds, nuts etc to help us identify them. The kids loved this idea and we set about hunting them out. Ewan held the chart and Molly had the clip board and sheets.

You can get these things from The Woodland Trust  http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/

I can't believe we actually managed to find them all, there are so many trees, the little book was a life saver. We had so much fun and the kids just enjoyed being out and about and being free to run round and climb the trees. We collected samples so that the kids could take them to school as show them what they had done over the weekend.

After another sit down by the ducks(different pond!) i headed home with very tired children. 

When we got home whilst i sat down and tried to get my Granny square blanket finished (really nearly there now) Ewan decided he wanted to make a book about what he had learn't.

This is the result and i am so proud of him, he can't wait ti show his teacher and the beaver leader.

Its great to be able to spend days like this and its free. There is always something to do. The children enjoy it so much and its great to see them so happy.

Bye for now x

New Patterns and Back to School

School went back two weeks ago now and this year my daughter Molly started. She was ready for it and has absolutely loved every minute of it and I think Ewan has enjoyed being the big brother at school as well. So that has just left Fred and I at home alone. After a very busy and loud summer holidays its very quiet at home during the day, which is nice as Fred gets some mummy and me time before little one arrives in February. Its nice just sitting with him and being able to sped time playing simple games and teaching him things. We went for a walk to feed the ducks and I have heard nothing but "Quack Quack" from him since. At least he can now say it at the correct part in "5 little ducks went swimming one day".Singing is one thing I defiantly should not give up my day job for but there is plenty of it in our house!

One wonderful thing about a quiet home during the day is the extra time to fulfill my creative side, so i was very excited when a neighbor asked if i wanted some old patterns she had as she was having a clear out. Of course i agreed and was over the moon when she turned up at my door with at least 100 and two bin bags full of wool. I quickly finished tea bathed the kids and let them have an early night so i could settle down with a cup of tea and have a look at what was there ( i am not normally selfish person and they did all fall asleep straight away...).

A lot of them were vintage patterns from the 50s,60, and 70s.

Most of them were baby patterns which is good with baby number 4 due in February. I love baby's in knitted clothes and i have made the patterns i own a few times now so starting to get a bit board with them so its nice to have some different ones to do. I spent a good couple of hours looking through even my husband joined in. we had such a laugh as some of the patterns were in magazines so we enjoyed reading the other articles in them and the problem pages gave us the most entertainment. I will share some at at later date.
I particularly enjoyed this pattern for socks complete with hairy legs!

Well i had to start something straight away and this was it a very easy all in one piece matinee jacket for the new baby.

We don't know what sex the baby is yet and we are not going to find out as we want a surprise this last time, but i love the color of this wool.

I am going to knit now as i am working on a little Aran jumper for Fred.

Bye

Ta-dah!!!! Sunflower Blanket

Well I can finally after over a year show my first granny square blanket!
I started it in April 2012 after finding the pattern for the square in Craftseller Magazine, i made a few alterations and decided to call it my Sunflower Blanket and made my first 12 squares. Them along came baby Freddie and production was halted in favor of baby things. Its was put in a box for another day.

Christmas 2012 i started again and managed to make it to about 40 Squares!

I promised myself that i would do a few each week and managed to get to 90 squares a few weeks ago.

I was starting to get excited that the biggest blanket i had ever made was nearly finished and decided to stop everything else and get it finished, so i had 54 squared left.

I did the last squares by doing the colorful circles at home so i just had to take the white wool out and about with me to finish them off. I loved playing with the little circles they are so bright and definitely take the edge off the gray clouds that are starting to appear!

Finally all the circles were squares and all the squares were crocheted together and it was time to eage and finish it. I decided to do rows of Single Crochet ( get me, i use so meny us patterns i use US terminology more than UK) one white, then lilac, blue, pink then white again, and this is where i hit a snag!

White, lilac and blue all ok, but do i have enough pink.....yes course i have keep going......

................................should just manage it..................................................

...............................OMG!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....

Well do i unravel and start again with a different color ? no i go on a wool hunt, in every cupboard and draw and basket, there must me some somewhere................................................

YAY!!!! at the bottom of my basket a little tangley bit, but just enough to finish.

and then

TA-DAH!!!!!!!

Introducing The Sunflower Blanket

144 Squares!

I am very proud of it and it is already well used by my and the little one on our afternoon naps and to snuggle up and watch telly now the nights are getting colder.

Bye for now x

Autumns here!

When i got up this morning i could barely see the field over the road from our house! It was really foggy and as i had run out of bread and had to walk to the little shop,It was only 7 am and  the air smelt of autumn.

I love this time of year, as i always feel there is so much to look forward to, a new year at school for the children, Then its the Firework championships near us, we always take a hot picnic and sit out on the promenade to watch, then Halloween with Pumpkins, trick or treating and the opportunity to make creative costumes. Then Bonfire night, with warm spicy foods and treats, and trying to find somewhere that still light bonfires. Of course then there is Christmas! The anticipation, the crafting, the cooking and the  lights and decorations. It makes me happy just thinking about it all.

My oldest Ewan and me went on the annual cycle through Blackpool Illuminations Last week.

 It is the first time he has ever done it as the route is 9 miles from start to finish then 9 back home. He has been looking forward to it for months. Unfortunately on the day hubby had to work and couldn't come, but it was nice for us to have some mummy and son time. Ewan made it to the end. all 9 miles but started to flag, so as luck would have it Paul finished work at about that time near to where we were so he can and picked us up and took us for a chippy tea! You got to love him! The lights were on but we set out quite early.

This week i have been working on a lovely matinee jacket for the baby, but more about that next time!

I have started hat making again and made this cute little bee hat!

I took this photo against my lush Passion Flower in the Garden on a much warmer and sunnier day.

This is the view from my window, what a difference compared to this morning.

I am going to go now and make the most of the last few days of the summer holidays, The kids can cycle and i will walk down to the beach as the fog has lifted and a small amount of sun is peeping through!
Bye