In the Dog House

Dear Dylan

We are so sorry that we ALL forgot that it was your birthday yesterday.  I know that you had a lovely day as we went for a really long walk and you had lots of fun playing in the snow, rolling in fox pooh and chasing pheasants.  Hope you can forgive us.  Thank you for being with us for the past five years providing us with endless amounts of fun, love and entertainment here's to many more.

Happy Birthday Cupcake

Love your very forgetful family

x-x-x

PS. Dyl the dog was not harmed in the taking of this photo and he was supplied with copious amounts of cuddles and gravy bones.

Winter Walk

Me and Dyl have been for a little walk.  Lovely fresh air and snowy scenes.  After a morning of pottering, cleaning and painting I got wrapped up and took Dyl over the fields to the canal, around the woods then back up the big hill home.  It was lovely.  Dyl ran his little legs off darting alongside the canal and foraging in the woods. 

The canal was frozen over - it looked really pretty but I was a little worried Dyl might try and run onto it - he didn't actually seem to notice which was good.

I love this bridge No 32 - I think - I decided today to walk over and have a walk through the woods.

Snowy wonderland.

Snowy scenes here I tried to take a photo of the crows on the telephone wires but they were too far away.

I think this was where a badger had been digging.  Dyl liked the smell and spent ages sniffing.

Dylan's paw print

Whoops saw this on the way out of the wood - won't take that route again.

seed heads

so fragile and spindly

A lovely winter walk. 

Just had beans on toast for lunch, done a spot of surfing the net, telly's on and I'm watching Come Home Lassie.  It's an oldy Elizabeth Taylor is in it and she is about 12.  I think i'll shove a stew in the oven in a minute then I think a spot of knitting is in order. 

January Makes

Hello are you all warm and cosy.? We are.  I was supposed to be helping Louise at the studio today but it was snowed off so I have a snow day. I thought I would catch up with my making in January.  As usual I forgot to take photo's of a few things but hey ho I can tell you about them. 

During January I have made:-

Two coin purses for my nephew H.  His mummy asked me if I would as she had looked for a coin purse for him and said there was nothing for boys.  I duly supplied him with a little purse made out of sail boat fabric.  I made it inbetween helping out at Louise's.  It was a tadge on the small side but H was delighted with it bless him.  I also gave him a cosy made from an old tie for his ipod again he was really pleased. The idea for the cosy was from the Chic on a Shoestring book by Mary Jane Baxter, Milliner and Author.   H's is such a lovely chap and makes me laugh a lot, I make him laugh too although I am not sure if it's because he thinks I'm a little dotty. 

A few old tie pouches I made - although not in January.  I free machined 'old tie' on one just so I didn't forget what I had made it from (joke - in case you thought I really had lost it).  Just right the right size for your mobile phone etc.

A spotty one - I love spots - not on my face though or anywhere else actually. 

Just to remind me.

H's second coin purse made from the sleeve of a old worsted jacket, recycled zip and lining.

It looks wonky in the photo but it's not too bad.  Its better than the first one but I still need to tweek the making a little.  I'm sure he will be happy with it though.  If Miss Kidston reads this - I'm sure she does - please could you make some coin purses for boy's please maybe in the London print or your new soldier print I'm sure they would be very popular.

Here is another 'make'.  It is loosely based on the Shalom cardigan.  I made it in wool bought from Atkinsons Sheffield which was in the sale.  10 balls for £4.99.  It didn't say what yarn it was or weight.  But it looked nice so I bought two packets.  When I searched the net to find out what it was it is Sublime Merino Chunky retailing at £5.20 A BALL.  Wow what a bargain.  I gave a pack to my Mum who actually insisted on paying for it.  We have both since knitted a garmet from the packs with some left over to possiby knit a stripy cardi or jumper.  Mum has popped round several times and we have sat and knitted and chatted.  We have both enjoyed it enormously and Mum really loves the cardi/waistcoat she knitted.  Mum used to knit lots when we were little and growing up and then she knit for her grandchildren but the garmet is the first she has knitted for herself in years and she has found it really enjoyable.  Well done Mum.  We are getting together again tonight for more knitting and nattering as she has bought more wool to make another one.  Yeah. 

I too am really pleased with the end result of my top.  I have already worn it lots and received several compliments.  If anyone wants to know the mods just leave me a comment and I will e-mail them to you as I actually made notes as I went along.

Well I'm going now rugby is on and my post is rather lengthy - don't want to bore you.  Going to pop back more often - I hope.  TTFN

I have just about finished another cardigan so I will post pictures when I have finished it.  Hopefully tomorrow.  I have no supply work booked in, it's snowy so think I will be staying put and knitting with just a little tidy up.  Happy days.





Whoops

Remember my last post when I couldn't find the camera.  I pointed in the direction of the girl's and K.  I was wrong.  I found the camera yesterday.  It was tucked up nice and cosy in my knitting basket.  So cosy and comfy and well, hidden.  Luckily I had been quite relaxed about the lack of camera.  I did not rant.  I did not stamp or scream and actually I did not search high and low for it.  I did, however, laugh out loud when I found it.  I also chuckled quite a lot when I told Nellie and Belle.  They thought it was highly amusing and Belle did say 'Gosh I really did think it was me'.  Obviously it wasn't.  Well a little late but better than never some photos of Donna Wilson's work at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

This way please

The rug under this little chap's feet was amazing.  He was really rather splendid too.

Donna's art work was really enchanting.  I loved it.  It made me want to get out the paints and have a go. 

Just having a nap!

Looks a little sly - see how far apart his eyes are!

Inuit kisses

Let's make a nest!

I thought I had taken more photo's than this but at least it gives you a taste of Donna's work. 

The Sculpture Park is well worth a visit and I am sure we will be back soon. 

B.U.M

Just sat down for a quick bloggy catch up and post and BUM can't find the camera.  Those pesky girl's have had it somewhere or K has taken it into school.  Oh well it will have to wait until later.  Having a lovely week this week.  Little bit of working, lots of painting of furniture and doors, seeing nephew, going to Studio today and then coffee with lovely friend tomorrow.  Happy Days!  Will try and post with pictures tonight I would love to share the work of Donna Wilson whose work I admired at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park at the weekend.  Oh Diane think I have solved the picutre problem the setting on the camera was for the highest quality picture and not for blogs or e-mails.  That's why there were lines and it was taking an age for the pictures to download.  Hopefully the next time I try I will have more success.  TTFN.

YSP

Today the Two Bones Gang - lol - went on an outing to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.  As it is only a hop and a skip away from us up the M1 we have been a few times but it was the first time we had ALL been together.  It never disappoints.  It was busy though as it was the last day for one of the exhibitions.   The lit up heads above were huge and a little eerie for my liking.

Sculptures made from lots of letters all welded together these I liked a lot.

This metal curtain was made up of lots of words they were beautiful and made a gentle noise when you ran your hand down them.  I am not sure if the piece of work actually read something as a whole or if it was single words whatever it was wonderful and the shadows it cast were magical.

My new boot toppers.  I am loving boot toppers this is my second pair.  It looks like you have a chunky pair of socks peeping out from the top of your boots but it is just a cuff - marvelous.  I could not fit a thick pair of socks inside my boots to save my life as I have chunky legs so this is a fab way to layer up.  Keep your legs warm too.  They do, however, make your legs look very funny when you take off your boots.  Do you like my boots, Fly boots from my mum as my xmas present.  I love them and have already worn them almost daily since I got them.  They are unbelievably comfy and have not caused me any pain.  I have seriously fussy feet and do have trouble getting shoes that look ok and are comfy.  It's an age thing.  These are perfect.

Huge shirt - there were three of these in a row.  We wanted to climb inside and poke out heads out of the top for funny photos but you couldn't - it would have been fun.

More sculptures I am ashamed to say I can't remember the artists name.  The were super.  

Girl's having fun.

Grown ups having fun too

A little label in a greenhouse there were more but this one appealed most.

We all had a lovely time. had a stroll, had a coffee and cake, called in at Elsecar Heritage Centre on the way home and Wingham Wools which is in Wentworth. 

A perfect way to spend my birthday.  Another year old but probably not any wiser. 

Back tomorrow to share photos of the exhibition of Donna Wilson's work which was also on display.  TTFN.

RAOK and Rainbows

Yesterday when I got home from work there was a parcel on my step.  I hadn't ordered anything so was a little surprised.  A little note was sticking out of the top and I recognised the writing immediately.  It was from my lovely friend S.  I peeked in and there was a jumper.  Not just any jumper but a spendid mohair jumper with a rainbow on the front and sleeve.  I danced around with it - a lot - and it was admired by the girls.  The youngest two announced that they would share it as they were kind and liked to share.  This morning I tried the jumper on and made the executive decision that it was going to be MINE.  Want to see it?

Thank you very much S -  I LOVE IT and will wear it lots.

Oh rainbow jumper love and it is not itchy.  S told me that she had had it 25 years at least.  By my reckoning that was the height of mohair jumper love.  I used to sit in the staffroom of the Bank I worked in and knit pofusely in mohair as did my colleagues.  We used to send off to the Mills in Wakefield and Bradford and buy mohair in huge quantities.  Ah those were the days.  By the way can you see Dyl all snuggled up on the sofa he is such a lazy pooch.  Also I cannot contain my excitement as I am now the owner of a pair of Levis and I have been pranching around the living room shaking my bootie in my first pair or Levis.  They fit like a dream Betty brought them back from a local retail park and they were the grand sum of £25.  Oh yeah.

My second RAOK was actually the first.  Just before Christmas I met up with Diane as I was working near to where she lived.  We met at a lovely Garden Centre at Wentworth.  We had cake and coffee, we chatted a lot and we had a wonder around.  As we were leaving Diane presented me with a gift all prettily wrapped in a festive bag and tissue paper.  The tag attached said 'You had one wish, you could have wished for George Cloony but you wished for this'.  I must admit I didn't get it at first.  I was naughty and opened the pressie right there and then.  I am normally controlled and place gifts under the tree and this year I was very restrained and didn't even 'feel' my pressies under the tree.  I am a very good guesser of gifts before they are unwrapped so this year I refrained.  The present was so thoughtful and was very generous.  It was a little dolly and Diane had put a little note on her.  It was one of her old dolls and she had made it's little skirt and her mum had crocheted the poncho.  She had it in the 70's and she gave it to me.  How kind is that.  You may now wonder what the wish business was about.  Well Diane is a friend of mine on Facebook and one day before Christmas I had seen a dolly in a charity shop.  I didn't buy her but regretted it.  I do love a vintage dolly and I posted that I had been a good girl and that all I wanted for Christmas was a new 'vintage' dolly.  Diane read it and thought of me and gave me one of her old dollies.  Here she is sat amongst some of my other dollies - she looks right at home doesn't she.

I know my other dolly needs clothes - it's on my to do list.

Such a sweetie and a very much appreciated gift.  Thank you Diane.

Oh just before I go it's sort of a rainbow day all around her at Two Bones.  The girl's are making a rainbow cake.  Very colourful.  They have promised to clean up after themselves.  Think they will - erm probably not.

Yum

Oh btw George Cloony or a vintage dolly - vintage dolly everytime.  Sorry Diane but I would probably not recognise George Cloony in the street - true fact. 

Last thing snippet of conversation in our house today.  Nellie 'what are we doing today?' K 'not much just having a chilling out, tidying up, listening to footie on the radio sort of day' Nellie 'oh just remember not to get stressed when we don't jump up and help'.  LOL.

Wonder what happened to the vintage dolly in the Charity Shop - wonder no longer I drove back the next day and bought her.  She will have a post of her own very soon.