My year in review

Its that time of year to clear down the side bar and do a little self indulgent post to mark some of the things that I've done in the last year.  

Honestly looking back I can't quite believe how lucky 2013 has been for me.  I bought my own home, had some wonderful trips, managed to survive another year in the day job and got to indulge in all of my favourite pastimes.  

I'm truly excited to see where 2014 will take me.  If I could be selfish and have all the things I want it would be more time with family, more time for crafting, to bring back walking as a regular thing in my life (sadly that fell by the wayside a bit in 2013), and to be able to visit more new places.

It will be fun finding out which of these wishes I can make come true this year.   But we have other plans bubbling away in the background which if they come to fruition could suck up a fair amount of time and take me away from the things on my list, but if we can pull them off I won't mind a jot ......time will tell.

Do you have any exciting plans for 2014?  I'd love to hear all about them.

Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy 2014

Projects I completed in 2013

Crochet Moogle

Summer Mist throw

Ellie's Owls

Amy's owl mobile

Wildflower cross stitch

Crochet Beret

Kiss Me Cross Stitch

Three knitted Chicks

Take Time Cross Stitch

Snuggly Squares Crochet Blanket

Starburst Crochet Blanket

Wensleydale Lace Scarf

Knitted moustache

Movies I went to watch in 2013 

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug
Gravity

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs 2

How I Live Now

About Time

Riddick

The Mortal Instruments

Elysium

Kick Ass 2

Lone Ranger

The Conjuring

The Wolverine

World War Z

Man of Steel

After Earth

Star Trek Into Darkness

Iron Man 3

Oblivion

Dark Skies

Mama

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters

This is 40

A Good Day to Die Hard

Prisoners

Thor: The Dark World

Captain Phillips

Books I read in 2013

The ocean at the end of the lane by Neil Gaiman

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Night of the living Trekkies by Kevin Anderson and Sam Stall

Armageddon the Musical by Robert Rankin

Sword Song by Bernard Cornwell

World War Z by Max Brooks

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

By Light Alone by Adam Roberts

Laura's Handmade Life by Amanda Addison

The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter

Places I visited in 2013

Avebury, Wiltshire

Aysgarth, Yorkshire

Bainbridge, Yorkshire

Bourton on the Water

Cardiff, Wales

Clapham, Yorkshire

Grassington, Yorkshire

Hawes, Yorkshire

Hudderfield, Yorkshire

Kettlewell, Yorkshire

Leeds Yorkshire

Leyburn, Yorkshire

Linton, Yorkshire

London

Malham, Yorkshire

Moreton in Marsh

Northampton

Oxford

Reeth, Yorkshire

Stockholm, Sweden

Wells, Somerset

Snapshot of the week

Christmas is full of mixed emotions for me.  The joy of celebrating with family and friends is always tinged with some sadness as looming in the background the dawning of 27th December marks another year of being without Mum.

I survived the day in disbelief wondering could it really be 8 years since she passed.   I muddled through the day, no doubt I was poor company and I had to escape to solitude and shed a tear or two when the weight of sadness built up and became overwhelming.  But the day came and went just as days always do.

For some reason I found the anniversary especially hard this year. Have been trying to figure out why and now there have been a couple of days space between then and now I think it may be this.  Apart from a couple of minor blips this year has been the happiest year for me since she left and I wish she was still around to share it with me.

If you pop by regularly (and hearty thanks to you if you do) you'll know that Sunday has become my day to post a weekly round up in pictures.  But this week I'm going to share just one snap from my week, taken during a christmas eve walk in the woods in beautiful Yorkshire with my love. 

We're being a bit goofy, but we're happy, wrapped up warm and blessed with beautiful sunshine, love and lots of laughter.  A perfect microcosm of 2013, here's hoping we can carry this all the way through 2014 too.

Hope your holiday season has been full of love and light and laughter xx

Seasons Greetings

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and fun filled 2014

Thanks to each and every one of you for continuing to visit my little corner of blogland to read my ramblings.  I appreciate every single visit xx

 

My week in snapshots

Wow only a couple of days until Christmas.  So far I just haven't been feeling very festive, lots going on at the moment which have been putting a bit of a dampener on the end of what has been an otherwise fabulous year.  But last day at work tomorrow and then we're up to Yorkshire to celebrate the season with James' parents.  And with almost 2 weeks off work to look forward to I'm sure the mood will lighten and a nice, quiet and relaxing time will be had can't wait.

Haven't really be in the mood to take too many pictures this week but when I went to download them I was surprised to find I'd taken more than I thought.  So here is my week in snapshots.

Taking comfort in some home cooked hearty food

 Is this what the apocalypse would feel like?  The moment I realised that I was the only one sat in an otherwise deserted office.

 Hooking up a last minute gift

Morning mist over the beautiful Wiltshire countryside

Counting down the days

Whatever you'e been up to I hope the world has been treating you well this week xx

Snapshots

Blogging is a bit sporadic around here at the moment. It's just crazy at this time of year, I'm sure you can all relate. Holiday preparations, catching up with family and friends whilst still working the day job and trying to keep all of the household chores up together equals very little spare time.

After a crazy couple of weeks we'll be off up to Yorkshire to spend the Christmas period. After that I'm hoping that things will calm down a bit and we can settle in to the rhythms of a new year and for me I'm hoping that will mean getting back to some more regular blogging and also being able to keep up with all my favourite blogs again.

For now here are a few snapshots from the last couple of weeks.

My fruit bowl overfloweth.  Have been feeling a bit under the weather so have been trying to eat plenty of fruit and veg to keep the energy levels up.

Loving the fact that at this time of year you don't have to be up too early to witness spectacular sunrises

Sewing in the ends, trying to get the Christmas gift makes finished

Some festive shopping at the Christmas Market in Bath

Out for dinner with my lovely man, my wonderful brother and his gorgeous fiancee ..... buy one get one free cocktails led to a very merry evening

Sunday heaven .... James' homemade bread accompanied by some gorgeous jams purchased at the market in Bath (We also bought some delicious chocolate wine but that will be saved for Christmas)

What ever you have been up to I hope life is treating you well.  Thanks for visiting my little corner of blogland, I really do appreciate you sticking with me :)

Snapshots

It's been a strange few weeks plenty of highs and lows, a lovely trip away, celebrating with family and friends, long hours at work and some tough family stuff to deal with. I'm not going to dwell on that too much, it's just nice to have a bit of blogging time again. 

It's been a few weeks since I've done a snapshot post it's been hard to try and limit myself to only a few pictures with all that's been happening.  But I managed it in the end.  So here is a little window in to my November world ...... cannot wait to see what December has in store.

Amazing Autumn walks

 Starting to feel festive with Christmas lights being switched on everywhere

 Watching fabulous sunsets out in the beautiful English countryside

 Scrummy dining with amazing family

 Exploring new cities

 Atmospheric moonlit walking in the middle of nowhere at 2am.  Chilly .....but so worth it to experience the unique peace and beauty of the countryside at night

 Feeling grateful to be surrounded by love

Third time Lucky?

Can you remember I told you all about some sock yarn I bought at bargain price in one of the local craft stores.  No?  Well I don't blame you I do tend to waffle on about lots of nonsense here.  Incase you need a reminder have a quick look here.....

Well I decided that I would actually have a go at doing something with it rather than let it languish in the yarn box for too long.  I did have a go at socks once before many years ago now but quickly gave up as I couldn't quite get the hang of it.  This time rather than brave it again I decided to have a look around Ravelry to find some non-socky inspiration.  And decided on a cowl.

Sadly I seem to have stalled a bit.  I've started twice and things just aren't going to plan.  For some reason I just can't get in to the rhythm of working with this yarn.

Third time lucky?  Lets hope so or the yarn might end up languishing in the yarn box for a while after all.

A gift for my Gran

All I seem to be doing is starting new projects at the moment. 

I've been trying to resist getting swept up in the tide as it seems far too early to be thinking about it yet but it's already everywhere in the shops and on TV ..... yes I'm talking Christmas.

These days I'm fairly lucky most of my family and friends have agreed not to swap presents any more so this time of year isn't too stressful for me.  I have decided to make a few things though.  The throw for my brother and his girlfriend is well under way and barring fire or flood it should be done in time.

The problem with such a big piece is its not very portable.  So I've turned to a gift that I've been thinking about making for my Gran.

I managed to pick up the yarn I needed from Ebay last week at a bargain price.  Oh my this is just the softest yummiest thing I've had the pleasure of working with part silk, part alpaca, honestly you don't know you're working with it.  If you could crochet with a cloud I'm sure this is what it would feel like.

It's early days yet and I had a few problems getting to grips with the pattern repeat, but fingers crossed I'm in the groove now.  This will be the perfect thing for me to take to work on when we go to Yorkshire.  We're leaving tomorrow, can't wait to have a break away for a few days.  But first this evening we're off to Bath to for the Christmas lights switch on ........ did you hear me say earlier it's too early to get in teh Christmas spirit, what do I know, lol.  See you on the other side.

Suits you, Madam

Almost finished the loopy beard but not quite. In the meantime I have finally finished the moustache I started a good couple of months ago. This was so quick to knit up it really should have been a fast finish but as is my habit I'm always trying to work on a million things at once so nothing gets done very fast.

Is it wrong to say I love my little handlebar, lol?  OMG have never had so much fun taking selfies.  Suits me, no?

I put this picture up on Facebook, and had some suggestions that I look like Luigi from the Mario brothers with the beret on too, lol

Messing around with some photo apps and I made this mirror image shot, freaky ........

I also got asked why the hell would I make a knitted moustache as what was the point?  Duh, the point is just to have fun once in a while, what is the constant obsession with purpose anyhow?  ok I understand that a knitted moustache might not have many practical applications.  But me, well I loathe housework so I shall be wearing mine while I'm doing the vacuuming ...... just because it makes me giggle.

Maybe I am just nutty?  I'll let you decide ;D

My week in Snapshots

Not many words to say this week.  Still recovering from my wisdom teeth extraction so mostly been keeping things nice and quiet.

Cosy evenings by candlelight

 Gorgeous Autumn Light

 Hat of the week - cheating a bit with a hood.  I'm looking a bit forlorn in this picture which sums up my week of pain and feeling sorry for myself!

 Comfort food - stewed apples and ice cream

 Waiting ..... and enjoying the last light of the day

 Cuddles with puppies - how I wish I could take this fellow home!

Toward the end of next week we're off to Yorkshire for a few days so I may be MIA for a bit.  Whatever you're up to have fun xx

Wensleydale Lace

We've had a fair amount of lovely Autumn sunshine recently which creates the most amazing light so I had hoped to go somewhere and do an outdoor photo shoot with my finished Wensleydale scarf, but my tooth extraction and the resulting pain put paid to that and I decided to take a couple of indoor snaps instead just so I could hurry up and share this with you.

I really love how this turned out and using two skeins of yarn has made it a super long scarf so plenty of wrapping potential for added cosiness.

It was a really straight forward pattern which was probably just as well for my first attempt at any lace effect work.  Even so I still managed to make a couple of mistakes along the way. But it really was only a couple and when wrapping me up and keeping me warm you can't see them ...... and hey who wants to be perfect anyway.  With it's little flaws my scarf will always be one of a kind and that is one of the beautiful things about handmade.

My week in snapshots

It's been a quieter than usual week as I had to have a couple of wisdom teeth out which put me out of action for a couple of days but I'm mostly feeling better and looking less hamster like now!! So here's hoping for a better week next week

The last supper (my lovely man took me out for dinner and cocktails the day before my trip to the hospital)

Halloween

Making chutney

Hat of the week

The wonders of modern technology - counting rows on my phone

 Baking cakes to say thank you to Mr Awesome for doing such a great job of looking after me this week

Hope you all have a fabulous week.  Thanks for stopping by to take a look at my little corner of the world. xx

Going Loopy

I've finished my Wensleydale Lace Scarf but not had a chance to do anything about taking any photos yet, hopefully I'll have that to share with you before too long. (Though after going in to hospital to have a couple of wisdom teeth I probably won't be feeling like doing much of anything for a couple of days!)

No sooner had I cast off the scarf I decided to cast on again with the next project on the to do list. Yarn is taking over my life at the moment. I seem to have lost the stitching impetus and am on a one woman knitting and crochet crusade. But I'm sure at some point the stitching bug will return.

This time I'm going all loopy.

I'm making a beard from the book that James bought me for my birthday, slightly random I know but I assure you there is method to my madness. All will be revealed at some point though no doubt it will finally cement your opinion of me as a mad old cow, lol.

Although this is a small project it's worked in double yarn and I'm finding it pretty hard going on my hands. This has given me a new found respect for my lovely Mum who, when I was about 5 years old knitted me a whole jacket and matching hat made in this loopy style. Must have taken her forever, I did love the jacket though. I'll have to go through my Dad's photos next time I see him to see if there are any photos of me wearing it.

Coincidentally the needles I'm working this project on are ones that belonged to my Mum. I bet never in her wildest dreams when she was making my jacket would she have thought 30 years later I'd be knitting loopy too making myself a beard of all things!! :-D I'm sure it'd just have made her laugh.  Miss you Mum xx

My week in snapshots

Wow here I am again putting together another 'week in snapshots' post. Another week has passed in a blissful whirlwind.

Things that have been making me happy this week include sleepy morning kisses, days filled with sunshine and rain showers, a training course at work which actually had me feeling inspired for a change and a lovely box of chocolate orange segments.

 How has your week been?

Saturday afternoon snoozing

Live music from my favourite band

Evading Daleks

Getting cosy with crochet in front of a movie

Autumn sunshine

Pumpkins.... all that orangey goodness yum yum

Hat of the week

My week in snapshots

Another crazy week has flown by, actually its disappeared so fast I didn't manage to get my camera out for half of it which I'm kicking myself for.  Moments not captured include a lovely spontaneous night out with my gorgeous guy at a new Italian place that's opened up down the road and my team 'The Tail-enders' winning at my work's quiz night.

But here are some things that I did remember to capture.

Dinner out with my gorgeous Granny last weekend

 Drinking lots of Elderflower tea

 But have no fear I've been a qualified tea maker for almost 30 years now

 Almost finished

 Wearing hats, I love them and have decided I need to do this far more often than I do

 Cooking with leftovers.  Pitta Pizza

Seriously I can't enthuse enough about how content I am at the moment.  I honestly don't think I've ever been happier. 

I'm back to crafting on a regular basis, I'm cooking more, I'm generally living a much simpler life and finding lots of pleasure in ordinary moments, sounds corny I know.  James and I are making plans for the future which if they all come together will mean we could have the most amazing life together.

I have less disposable income than I've ever had but being thrifty and having a lovely man who treats me to nights out once in a while means that I still get to go out and do lots of cool stuff.  I'm quite literally the luckiest girl in the world at the moment.

Can you tell I've had a good week, lol.  Lets hope the coming one is just the same.  Hope you all out there in blogland are happy too. X