I've managed something!

Hello folks.

After much swearing and cursing I've managed a bit of a mosaic, I say bit because I really wanted these pictures to be bigger but for now................TA DAH......

Isn't it amazing what a bit of dust in the atmosphere can do?

I will not let this defeat me and WILL make better mosaics.

Anyhoo I thought you might like to see this lurvely bag that I found in Tesco this week. I couldn't resist as I'm a girl and it's a bag. It cost £4.00 with some of the money going to Clic Sargent which cares for children with cancer ~ it's designed by Orla Keily. Yummy.

Do you remember that sock yarn I got thinking I'd make a Baktus? Well I cast it on but I'm not impressed with how it's going. It just didn't seem to looking that good, so I've frogged it. Maybe it'll just be a pair of socks!

I need to cast on for the other flip-top glove now.

See you soon..............Clicky Needles.

P.S. Hello to new followers great to have you!!!!!!

Nearly Back

Hiya.

My last day!

Yep I'm back to school tomorrow.

That snow I mentioned yesterday has dusted us.

Mr Clicky Needles' car (BMW) refuses to drive on anything slightly slippy and our drive does have a small slope, which for his car is impossible. Luckily my trusty 4x4 has no such sensitivities so knitting group was on!

I picked up my pal M on the way.

I forgot to tell you about the spinning session with drop spindles that M and myself had last week.

It was not that good.

We tried to spin for about 10 minutes with fluff going in all directions but the way it should be and then resorted to talking about yarn, needles, patterns, books etc, etc and decided that spinning could wait for another day!

I have a few things to show.

Firstly this bag made with two balls of Rowan Ribbon Twist that I got in a bargain bin. The pattern is from Rachel Henderson's book I Love Knitting which is a fun funky book.

These two balls have been hanging around for longer than I care to remember and I'm soooo pleased to be able to use them up. Now I know they do clash a bit but I think the end result is OK.

Just to show you how much I like it I've EVEN LINED IT with some old cord fabric that was a skirt in it's heyday.

Lining this bag has made me realise that sewing isn't so awful after all (I can do it, I just don't) so maybe I'll do some more.

My other project at the mo' are Flip-Top gloves.

Something ELSE made in the lovely Drops Delight sock yarn (this may have dropped into my basket whilst getting green for Northern Monkey's shawl.)

As you can see it has a fluffiness to it, which makes it perfect for gloves IMHO.

The flip-top bit is a bit of a funny shape but I'm cobbling together several patterns and making it up a bit.

One down, one more to go.

And so there it is, holidays gone.

Back to the grindstone.

Bye for now.................Clicky Needles.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

Monday 3rd January

Hi There!

May I wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

I've been trying for quite some time to put together one of those clever photo mosaic thingys and I'm sorry but this is the best I can come up with. A few images that made me smile when I looked back.

I am persevering to learn how to make a mosaic and I am hopeful that one day I will be able to.

Today has been 'take the decorations down day' ~ a job I enjoy nearly as much as putting them up. Everything gets wrapped in tissue paper and stored in strong shoe boxes so they're all snug until next Christmas.

Mr Clicky Needles and me bundled up the tree in a tarpaulin and took it to the local council's tree recycling skip. Mr CK was a sight to behold ~ he decided not to put said tree in the open door bit but to throw it over the top into the skip. It must have been 10 feet tall. It took him 5 attempts, not helped by me one bit because I was too busy howling with laughter.

It's in there now, so all's good.

Whilst we were having fun at the skip, snow was falling again. It snowed whilst we put the tree up and it snowed when we took it down, which it sort of poetic I think.

I've just realised I've not shown you the present I made for Northern Monkey in the Phoenix Forum Christmas Swap. Northern Monkey just loves green so I made her this green shawl in Drops Delight (another nice sock yarn from Scandinavian Knitting Design!!!!!!!!) it is quite loosely spun so has a bit of a halo. (I'm making some gloves in it at the mo' I'll show you tomorrow.)

I also tried to get some green pressies to go with it, Green and Blacks Choccy, green Knit Pro stitch markers, a shawl pin, a black sparkly purse (we all need a bit of sparkle) and a Christmas Mug with felted characters on it.

As I predicted on my last post, dancing on the Wii did me in so I obviously need to do it more often.

I've another day off tomorrow so I'm going to my LYS ~ Along Came Polly's knit group morning, to indulge myself!

See you soon! ...........Clicky Needles.

P.S. Hope you like the new quote!

Holidays

Hello.

Hope you are all having a lovely holiday.

We woke up to beautiful sunshine on Christmas Morning, it looked stunning in the snow.

I got that digital photo frame that I was after and I've loaded it with pictures of holidays, friends, family and the garden. Now I need to get scanning in photos that are pre the digital camera.

We didn't go wild on present buying this year, DS' best presents were probably a fire steel (to start a fire when you are stuck in the wilderness!) and a Swiss Army Knife and DD's a flappy ski hat.

Not made by me I'm afraid.

A few finished bits to show you. Firstly a triangular shoulder shawl with an eyelet pattern.

This is Drops Fabel sock yarn in a colour called Candy Mix.

I would recommend this yarn ~ it's £2.20 for 50g so you need 2 balls for a pair of socks. It's available from Scandinavian Knitting Design in Reading and they are very quick and efficient with orders.

The other thing I have to show is my stripy waistcoat. This is made in King Cole Riot and that green button that B sent looks great with it.

Finishing these things left me in a bit of an in pass, I couldn't quite decide what to start next. Another Baktus? a sock? a jumper?

In the end I've plumped for this scarf.

I got this roving yarn at Alexandra Palace last year. I'm making a crochet mesh scarf with it and I will then felt it in the washing machine. I've been promising myself this for a long time so it is nice to be making something with it at last.

That snow is starting to go, slowly turning into slush, the temperature now being above zero degrees instead of below.

Right I'm off to have a go on Wii Dance 2, so wish me luck!!!!

Bye for now.....Clicky Needles.

The Candle has Gone

Hello.

The advent candle has all burnt away.

We've had a lovely day, finally getting to see Harry Potter. I enjoyed it very much, but didn't want it to end! We now have to wait for the last part.

*sigh*

I laid my table today ~ the 'tablecloth' is some fabby glitter wrapping paper that I found in WH Smiths last Christmas ~ so sparkly!

So now we wait for Santa to come.

If you don't know the folks at NORAD track Santa as he delivers his presents. As I type he is in Taunggyi, Burma. This is a fabulous service and it's good to know they use their satellites for other things.

Lastly may I wish you a lovely, lovely day tomorrow, I hope you get what you wish for.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS.............Clicky Needles.

All Ready!

Hi there.

The snow is still deep and crisp and even here 'up on the top' and Mr Clicky Needles and me having been wrapping presents today. It took a few hours but was greatly helped by this brilliant selotape dispenser, I can't recommend it enough. The selotape is just where you need it and no letting go of the parcel!

I always use last year's Christmas Cards for tags, doesn't this one look nice?

Here are the presents piled up under the tree, an exciting looking bunch, I've caught DS

having an rummage on the quiet.

DS made the Yule Log ~ well, I say made, I really mean iced, and I celebrated with a glass of pink sparkles ~ any old bubbly with Creme Du Mure added ~ a blackberry liqueur, first discovered at Les Cerisiers last February. Mmmmmmmmm.

I've been making sure the birds have been well fed and watered we're getting lots coming in at the moment in this cold weather.

Only 2 sleeps to go ~ waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Bye for now ...Clicky Needles.

The Postie Knocks!

Hello.

The snow stopped eventually last night and although we're now being rained on by 'ice lumps' the postie managed to get through today.

He brought a card from my Mum and Dad....

Mum added ......and Knitting, inside,

and another card from my lovely friend B.

Enclosed in the card were some buttons....

...what a lovely unexpected gift. I think the green one will be going on my Riot Vest which I have nearly finished. Thanks so much B.

These two cards sum me up really well.

As promised, some more pictures of the decorations.

The main tree in all it's pinkness...

....some of the new pink baubles.

I particularly love this glitter ball!

The windowsill in the kitchen....

...and lastly the 'children's' tree in the hall.

There are stars in all the downstairs windows and hanging in the kitchen.

I have just about finished and I'm now walking with a little spring in my step.

The kids are outside playing in the snow and Mr Clicky Needles and me are tucked up by the fire ~ he's reading and I'm knitting.

Contentment!

Bye for now......Clicky Needles.