I'm in a quandary.

Well I just had to go ahead and become ill didn't I.  I won't go into any details let's just say it was stomach orientated and not particularly nice.  Now, I'm feeling pretty restless and my hands are itching to make something, but my brain is so overwhelmed by my Rav Queue that I haven't got a clue what I want to make.  One minute I'm looking at toy patterns; quick and easy to make, the next minute I'm looking at scarf patterns; it's still cold enough for a scarf, right? And then my other choices are two little cardigans; one is free the other is not.  I have the yarn to make one of the cardigans but not both, and I just  love Andi Satterlund's patterns but can't honestly justify the purchase so close to my birthday (I can feel myself sliding and giving in on this one).
The other problem I have is my knitting stash, a couple of years ago I boxed up all my stash into stackable boxes but at the time I just shoved every colour and every weight into any old box, don't ask me why,  not terribly organised am I? Lol!   It's been preying on my mind the past couple of days, and I keep thinking I really need to sort it out, so why don't I ?  I'm embarrassed to say I have no motivation or time even though I'm on a two week holiday from college, most of my days, are spent plinky, plonking on my computer writing and compiling essays.  Can you tell that I'm fed up? So in an effort to make myself feel better on Sunday I decided to  browse the internet.  I'm a member of quite a few forums, but not been on them as of late, so I decided to give myself some rest-spite and go a wandering.  That's when I happened upon Craftsy  I have been a member of this group since it pretty much started but never actually utilised it until today.  After browsing for about half an hour it appears I have managed to book myself not one but six classes -oops.  I honestly don't know when I am going to have the time to view or complete them, but hey-ho.  The classes range over all the hobbies I am interested in; sewing, spinning and weaving,  I didn't select any knitting or crocheting classes as I have Ravelry for that. The ones I'm quite interested in completing first are:

I'm going to keep the other three classes under wraps for now, and I will just suddenly announce the finished products on my blog once I have made and completed them.   And when I'm done, I will have hopefully gained a few more skills!

New Stock- Shop Update!

Since my computer is now well and back to good health I have managed to photograph my new stock and upload photos.  All the new items have been uploaded to my Folksy store here

Partridge in a Pear tree (blue)

Partridge in a Pear tree (cream)

Winter Rose

Orange Blossom

Twilight Safari

Cinders

Toffee Apple

Poppy

Autumn

Made by Sun Rae

Sewn in beautiful designer fabric, these gorgeous Pyramid Project Bags measure 7" high x 7" wide. The cases are fully lined with a zip fastening closing and carry handle made from ribbon. They are able to hold a sock knitting project with Dpns and 100g of yarn or a small crochet project, yarn and hook.

This item is ideal for popping in your handbag when out and about or storing your project discreetly away, when at home.

Colours of Summer...... Sherbert!

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well =D.

Once again this has been a wonderful week for my handmade items.  My Sherbert Dib-Dab Pyramid Bag  recently featured and  made it into an Etsy Treasury: "Colours of Summer" the theme was Sherbert (bottom, 2nd from left). 



To say I'm excited is an understatement, people are seriously going crazy for these bags,  so I'm going to add more fuel to the fire and announce some new stock. Yes!  I've been squirrling away for the past couple of days making loads of new bags-11 to be precise, which will promptly be added to my  Folksy, and  Etsy by the 25th of August (Thursday) this week.

Getting back to Nature

Even though where I live we are surrounded by countryside, sometimes it's just nice to get away to pastures new.  See new scenery, a different layout and just generally drink in whats around you.  I'd never been to Crieff before, well not that I can remember of  and even though I moaned on the way up in the car, the end result was both breathtaking plus relaxing.

Lady Mary's Walk- Crieff

The River Earn

Wild Flowers

breathtaking scenery

dog walking

Soaking my feet in the River Earn

bliss

We walked and walked and each turn on the path brought more nature, some people, kids playing in the water, people jogging, dogs walking with their owners,  babies being wheeled around in their buggies, everyone with the same thing on their mind, don't rush just take it easy.

Just Doodling

On Fabric:

Poppies

I was taught how to sew from a very young age by a rather cantankerous elderly woman. She was married to the local doctor -old military type and very to the point, no nonsense kind of man- she was a brilliant teacher, with  an awful temper.  Heaven help you if you forgot your sewing bag or "gasp" your needle happened to slip and  your stitch didn't look right,  all hell broke loose.  Then in High School a rather nasty Home Economics teacher took it upon herself to tell me I was useless at sewing and it would be better if I just gave up.
So I'm not sure what they would make of my little embroidery doodle,  sewn on to some denim. ooops! What the heck!  It was fun.


Healthwise

I've had a months rest from my  PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) therapy treatment,  EMDR, which has thrown up a few glitches but hopefully it is just old memories being processed into the files in my brain. The one thing I wasn't counting on was the severe depression or the abnormal lack of energy that has come with the break, or my therapists excuse "the reason  why you're feeling like this, is because you have stopped taking your Fluoxetine",  I've been off my tabs since April and seemingly it's only now my body is retaliating with depression, mmm! I don't think so.  To me the antidepressants weren't working,  they were masking my feelings and I wasn't  facing up to reality.  I was walking around feeling numb and zombiefied and I'm afraid that is a state I didn't very much care to be in.  Yes the therapist frowned at me,  when I tried to explain that I wanted to feel the pain of reliving the memories I had whilst going through the EMDR treatment and that is why I weaned myself off the medication. To me it's the only way I'm going to recover, period.  So after a power struggle with me refusing to go back onto the medication (I'm very stubborn) we decided the next best thing would be to try a more natural approach in the form of fish oils.  Omega 3 with a high EPA count, this is to combat the severity of  depression and  the sluggishness, I'm suffering from.  I'm also taking B vitamins for adult acne (due to stress)
Anyway, I've been taking the fish oils and vitamins since Thursday of last week.  Friday, Saturday and Sunday I felt on top of the world, loads of energy, talking non-stop, knitting like a woman possessed, tidying, taking the dog for a walk, eating less sugary foods, listening to music and living again but then Monday appeared and I  hit a wall so big that I couldn't even step over it let alone climb over  it.  I was majorly tired but not depressed, which is good, I think.  By Tuesday (right  through to Thursday) I was bulldozing the wall and marching ahead full of beans, then Friday had to happen.  I just sat and cried on and off for most of the day.  Sounds depressing but this is me getting better.  Before treatment I was down and crying for 6 days out of 7.  Now it's maybe 2 and at a push 3 days out of the week, eventually it will be none.   So were does this take me? Well,  I will  be moving forward and starting CBT after the therapist comes back from his holidays.  The CBT is the final push on my therapy and is the ground work for  making me a living, working, person again.
It can only get better, right?

Raspberry Fools!

Hi everyone hope you are all well.   Me,  I'm good, I think.......  Okay perhaps feeling a wee bit bogged down with the world just now.  I just wish I could stick up two fingers to the horrible rude people that I encounter now and again in my life (but I'm too nice a person for that).  You know the type, the ones that like to chuck not just spanners in the works but the whole tool bag,  hammer and all. 

Me blowing a raspberry to the rude fools of the world!

It just never fails to amaze me how ignorant and selfish some people can be.  I was taught as a child to always respect other peoples feelings,  to say please and thank you.  Nowadays, you're more likely to have a  door swung in your face or worse someone deliberately walking  through  you to the point you nearly fall over,  then they announce you fell -hello,  I wasn't aware I was capable of stealth mode.  Deep breathe,  aahhhhhh!   Karma- just keep thinking, karma. Lol!

Having a go 

At Cross Stitch.  People who knit,  will tell you they also dabble in other crafts.  I'm afraid I'm no  exception to this rule.  I will try my hand at any craft.  I embroider, sew, dress make, crochet, knit, draw, weave, spin and now I have added Cross Stitch.

The Daffodil

The Daisy

My favourite The Poppy

 They are worked on 14 count Aida and come with all the supplies (thread, aida, card surround, envelopes and chart) you need to recreate the little flowers.  They can be found in this magazine here.  These little samples are just right for someone starting off Cross Stitch as a lot of counting is involved.  And having a brain like a giant sieve at the moment,  these turned out to be just right for my attention span.  Hopefully by Christmas I will have progressed onto something more spectacular but then again, maybe I will have found a new craft to occupy me.

On the knitting front, new knitting books:

Rowan Limited Edition Members Book

 Very beautiful book.  Loads of info about the designers through the years and gorgeous patterns too. It's to celebrate the 50^th edition of the Rowan Knitting Magazine, and gifted to  members.  It's a hardback and not available to purchase anywhere!

Rowan Limited Edition Book

 This also came through the door the other day too.

Little Red in the city by Ysolda Teague

 I'm really spoilt for choice and not sure what to make first.  Quite a hefty book ,  264 pages.  Contains section on Yarn Selection, swatching, measurements, sizing, fits, blocking, cast on, short row methods, buttonholes, using patterns, abbreviations  and 7 patterns.  My favourite is Angostura, Lauriel and Skelf.

OTN- Off The Needles
Not a finished product.  I'm talking quite literally,  off the needles,  as in frogged  =(

Yes,  I've been bad and I'm sure I'm going to regret it later.  My Sunshine Cardi  has been sitting in a corner waiting for me to finish it's collar, for over a month.  I was loving this knit at the beginning but as times gone on, well..... To be honest I just don't think it's me.  Don't get me wrong it's a lovely pattern, however everytime I looked at it,  I just couldn't face finishing it.  I'm not sure if it's the colour or me procrastinating over my body image and not feeling quite right within myself,  I've put a lot of weight on during therapy and it's dragging me down.    Anyway,  I've only gone and frogged all of  my lovely work, I know.... I know.... I'm trying to look on the bright side.  What would I rather have,  loads of lovely yarn for a new project or an article that just sits in the corner gathering dust.  So I voted for loads of lovely yarn.

Anais waiting to be blocked.

It's not all doom and gloom though.  I've finished the sleeves on my Anais Cardi,  I couldn't wait to see what it looked like, so I laid it out on the bed,  piece by piece.  I'm so excited, I can't wait to block it, attach the shoulders and start on the neck band.  It looks gorgeous and I know I'm going to get loads of wear out of it.

Very Pretty.

OTN- On The Needles

I have also found a new project for the recently deceased Sunshine Cardi yarn, well.... that didn't take me long did it.  Lol.

Shimmer by Kim Hargreaves

Rowan Calmer

On Knit Pro Needles

 
It's another Kim Hargreaves knit called Shimmer .  Easy pattern  to remember as it's a 4  row repeat, with alot of yarn overs and knit 2 togethers to give a lace affect. Which in turn helps the garment to knit up quite quickly.              

 Knitting Swap

These are the squares for the month of July that Caloubear made for my Friendship blanket (the year long swap I mentioned previously in past posts) we should all accumulate twenty-four,  8x8 inch squares at the end of the year.  I'm also going to add my own squares in a variety of Autumnal colours, as  I want my blanket to be super huge,  for the winter. 

Loving These

I just had to show these off.  I have collected these kind of items for along time but never really shown them off.  I now have my mum hooked on them too.

I had to have the card, it has a squirrel in it =P

The little Goth mirror is my favourite item.

Gorjuss by Scottish freelance artist Suzanne Woolcott.  One day I hope to be a proud owner of an original piece of her artwork.
 
Comments that make me smile from ear to ear

The little bags and other bits and pieces I make,  have being going down a treat over at My Folksy Shop
The comments people leave really make my day.  I craft because it relaxes me and each item is made with genuine love.  Pauls role is kind of - quality control.  He scrutinizes the work I make and gives me honest feedback,  anything from- colour combinations to "theres a loose thread",  "that ribbon is twisted",  "I like that zip but not that one".  Off I go to tweak the not so right bits.  Doesn't happen very often but it's got to look good and feel right.  9 times out of 10 I get it right =D.

So here are a few of the comments that have made my day (I haven't included the peoples names, privacy and all that).


Comment : It's such a cute little bag, I LOVE it!

Comment : I adore this, thank you very much!

Comment : Absolutely perfect!!! Love the item and SO well made!!!

Comment : Lovely product, beautifully packaged.

Comment : thankyou Sun Rae this little bag is adorable. the amount of detail in the finishing touches is amazing, i love the tiny little button details on your label tucked away inside as a secret surprise. the size is just right to keep a 100g ball all neat and tidy whilst i'm knitting. x

Thank you to all my customers so far and hello to all the new ones to come.


On The Pod- please click the song titles.

                                                                 Black Sheep by Metric

                                                                    Daniel by Bat For Lashes

                                                              Tightrope by Janelle Monae

                                                                   Metronomy by The Look

I'm also listening to this but it makes me cry everytime I hear it: Max Richter -On the Nature of Daylight it's very emotional and very beautiful, the violin (what would life be like without music) makes me feel very teary.

Shirley xx

Big Baby & Blog Competition

Only a couple of days left to enter my competition.

Just leave a comment to be in with a chance of winning.  If you're not in it, you won't win it.

Hi folks, hope you are well!

This week I haven't been able to survive without my knitting firmly by my side.  I find when I'm feeling vexed, crafting is my only source of release from my worries,  that and watching movies while I  knit.  


So I opted for and watched Toy story 3

Kody

It's only the third time I've watched this film. Nevertheless,  it now holds a special place in my heart.  Today while watching it Paul announced my little nephew Kody looks like Big Baby. Lol!  I love the Big Baby character, can't say why, I'm not sure if it's the name,  the way its face looks, or the blinky eyes. I had a blinky eyed doll when I was little, and I'm sure one of the dolls eyes ended up like Big Babies. Anyway,  the character just makes me all fuzzy and smiley inside.

Big Baby

So when I told  Kody he looked like Big Baby,  he replied: "I don't like big baby, it's scary". Lol!  Bless.

The film then prompted a huge discussion between my sister, oldest nephew and I.  My oldest nephew Curtis,  confessed that he thought it was the end for the toys, the furnace scene,  he said he felt very sad at the thought of them all melting and perishing.   Wow! That's a lot of emotion for someone who will be nearly  16 in October. Hahaha!  But to be fair he grew up with Toy Story, so we'll let him off.   My sister, on the other hand, is just embarrassing.  She cried at the end of the film when Andy gave his toys away.  I shouldn't be surprised at this,  she was inconsolable watching Watership Down when the rabbit dies at the end. *sigh* there's no hope for her. Ha Ha Ha!


Oh! and my all time favourite film is Bram Stoker's Dracula starring Gary Oldman.  I love the costumes, the music, the scenes, the colours and I also have a secret crush on the Gary Oldman character Prince Vlad.  It's a film I will never, ever,  tire of.  This was watched after Toy Story 3.

So the film was watched to stop me procrastinating. I'm in the middle of deciding a life change, and it has resulted in me jumping into not just one new knitting or hooking project but 5 altogether.  Yes, I'm afraid  I've entered the dark side, will I ever finish these projects or are they destined to live as WIP's for the rest of their lives. Lol!     

Sunshine Cardigan
Anais Cardigan by Kim Hargreaves  
Hunters Socks
Manly Socks
Hawaiian Flower Blanket

I'm fairly flying through my Sunshine Cardigan.  I'm now on the sleeves. Won't be long till I'm finished.

I've also started this:

Anais Cardigan by Kim Hargreaves

I'm loving this knit, and the pattern repeat is very easy to memorise.  Should have this finished in a couple of days the rate I'm going at.

I've decided to knit this in the large size to accommodate my ample bust.  I'm using  Sirdar Calico instead of Rowan milk cotton.  For one I had the Sirdar yarn in my stash and two the Rowan yarn isn't.   Also, I really can't afford a splurge at the moment,  as pennies are tight.  = (

Hunters' Socks

What else have I been up to?  Oh yes!  Paul celebrated his summer birthday yesterday.  His original birth date is in January, but as it's so close to Christmas and the weather is usually miserable, we decided to move his celebration to Junuary.  I made these:

Hunters Socks

These are made in undyed alpaca yarn from a lovely lady in America, Dawn is her name, and she kindly sent me a load of goodies for making her socks.  I have a dark chocolate version of the yarn and a cream version too and tonnes of it.  This yarn is so soft, very cosy but not sock weight.  So the Hunters' pattern is ideal for this project as it asks for worsted weight yarn.    Now to any normal human being these would just be too hot to wear in summer and probably more suited to January instead of Junuary but not Paul.  He wears 2 pairs of socks everyday-not sure why and I've never asked- just a strange boy thing I suppose.

Hawaiian Flowers

My mums birthday is also this month, next week to be precise and keeping with my thrifty theme I decided to make Hawaiian Flowers by Sarah London.   This pattern has been in my queue forever but I just never got round to making it until now.  Doesn't look much, when you see the picture above.  I made 14  flowers of each colour, think there are 5 colours in total.  Paul thought I had lost the plot- I just kept churning these little guys out.  Then he saw this:

I still have to block it.  It's not a normal sized blanket but a leg cosy- for when you're sitting in a chair.  My mum mentioned she normally snoozes in her chair when she finishes work and that her legs become very cold, hence the blanket.

I really do hope my mum likes this as I've  poured a lot of work into. I will also be very sad to see it go as I'm in love with it.   Paul, on the other hand, hates crochet- he says it's granny-ish- stopid boy.   Hahahaha!

I'm also loving the weather we've been having.  Two whole days of sunshine, keeping fingers crossed that tomorrow and the day after will be the same.  Love hanging out my washing when the weather is this hot.  My mum laughs as I'm just as anal as her at hanging out my washing.  Underwear goes on one section of the line with one colour of pegs, tops on another section of the line with another colour and so on and so on.  I hate when Paul hangs the washing out as he hangs the tops the wrong way and I twitch until it's sorted.  I also always wipe the line before putting out my stuff,  I never leave my washing out over night and never leave the pegs out on the line-my sister does this, and I had to tell her off.   I sound like a nutter.  I also like to smell the washing while I fold it (not the underwear though, that's just pervy).

 Folksy Shop Update

Other news:  I have more pattern keepers in my Folksy store and website and also different fabric designed bags.  The pyramid bags are going down a treat and have sold quite a few since placing them in my store.  Will try to publish some of the lovely comments I've received from customers in my next post.

BLOGOVERSARY COMPETITION

I've just noticed my blogoversary is coming up soon.  My little blog is 5 years old in 3 days time (I know, what on earth have I been gibbering about all these years) and to celebrate  I'm giving these goodies away:

A Russian Doll Pyramid bag,  Brittany Straight Knitting Needles, Set of Bamboo DPN's , 2 pattern keepers and 100g/333m  of Merino Tencel in Raspberry by Krafty Koala.

To be in with a chance of winning all these goodies.  Just leave a comment.   I will ask Paul to randomly select and announce the winner on the 3rd of July at 7 pm.



Shirley xx