Baby Ripples......

Gosh, Peeps, I have had so many friends having babies just recently! I kid you not when I say there are 6 ..... And then yet ANOTHER one of my dear friends announced a few months ago that she was in the baby way.....Now  I have made so many  Baby Owl Toys that I could not face making  yet another so I really had to put my thinking cap on..... but nothing - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

 

However as with many things I do,  late one night I thought about a unfinished blanket..... or WIP(work in progress ) as I  like to call anything unfinished!(And I have many WIP's)  I had started this ripple blanket a while ago, but I never finished it! It was a difficult pattern and I had struggled with it and eventually put it away. But I had also JUST started my hooky journey, so I think I can be forgiven for shelving it.

 So I went in search of it..... and there it was lying under a pile of yarn in a drawer!

 

Now my friend Gem, did not know if she was going to produce a girl child or boy child.... This blanket was 3 shades of blue. Beautiful Blue that reminded me of the ocean on a bright summer day, tranquil and serene!   ..... The ripple pattern also undulates like the waves in the ocean.....Boy, am I being poetic today! I decided that even though it  might be a little girl I would  use it. I would simply add a pink border to it and some flowers on the bottom - I thought that was actually a VeRy CleVeR idea....

The Ripples somehow seemed easier this time, I was using Lucy from Attic24's pattern and now that I am few years down in my hooky journey, it was easier to understand. The stitches were simple, 4 trebles then a decrease across 2 stitches then 4 trebles and  increase across 2 stitches.... simply put it is a hill and valley type of thing, increase on the hill decrease on the valley...... understand? Well it does seem a bit odd when I read it back but Lucy writes patterns in an easy manner so pop over and try it out.

The Valley(Decrease Stitches)

The Hill(Increase Stitches)

I cannot lie and say I never made any more  mistakes, I pulled out a few rows  and even totally mixed the colours up on one occasion!(my first hooky tears!) But soon  the pattern became almost cathartic and repetitive - I almost became lost in the pattern not thinking about anything except repeating and repeating.........

Suddenly  it was looking gorgeous and although the first 20 rows of ripples had been more of a gentle curve than a ripple,  it was looking really ripply. I was happy. I kept rippling and soon it was all done.

 

 

A few days later very happy Gem told us that a Baby...... GIRL was to bless them.
 

   

 

  A pink border  of single crochet was dully added and it looks really sweet and girly.... 

 

 

 

 

I hooked up a little garden of flowers(Flower pattern to come - as it is my own)  and added them along the bottom, with stems and leaves.(I doubled up my yarn to chain the stems as it makes the stems thick and looks better)

 

 A pretty white Butterfly flitting across the blue ripples.

The Finished Blanket - Not A great Picture  - Sorry!

 

The blanket was all done. The different coloured flowers, green stems and leaves really break up the blue, and it will be perfect for this soon to be born  little girl! The baby shower was a riot..... A house full of wonderful, loud and gregarious family and friends, writing down blessings and wishes for little Grace's future! And I do have to say with a family like this.... She is already BLESSED ....xxx

 

PS:: Can not wait to meet her.....

Row Row Row Your Boat......

Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.

 

 

It seems like many moons ago that we were on our annual oversea's holiday, it fact it was only 7 weeks ago - Time sure flies when you need to pack up your home and move...... 

 

The main part of this years holiday was spent on a boat! Yes you hear me correctly a boat, a lovely luxury boat the pottered along at 5 mile an hour( that was the speed limit) At this stage of the post I want to say that LSO is the best travel agent a family could ask for! He trawled the interweb for hours finding the best route and the best boat he could. We were worried that Little Madame would be bored... But far from it she thrived on the boat, she had a wonderful time and let me tell you why.... NO TV, NO INTERNET and VERY LITTLE CELL RECEPTION! It was idyllic, relaxing, quiet and above all else we spend time together..... As always a few picture to tell the story

 

:: Our luxury Boat - A lounge/dining area,2 bedrooms, a galley(Kitchen), 2 bathrooms and deck....


   

 

:: Mooring Spots were full of relaxed happy ( in some places inebriated) people.... 

:: We stopped to look at beautiful old ruins and churches....

 

:: We saw gorgeous homes, with green lush gardens that beckoned for us to come in .... 

 

:: We took long walks in leafy country lanes....(Well...we walked - one of us carried...)

:: Little Madame and I sat on river banks and chatted to regal swans....

 

 

:: We crocheted, won 40 pounds playing lotto, loomed and caught fairies in wine glasses.... 

:: Saw interesting plants and seeds....

:: Saw breath taking, still sunsets.....

 

:: And lay for hours watching clouds pass by......

 

::Went under impossibly low bridges, that had me holding my breath....

:: We picked blackberries and apples, and ate them still warm from the summer sun....

:: We saw  grand manor houses and  quaint windmill homes....

 :: Sailing boats gently passed by.....

:: Ancient castle walls still stood and fragile poppies grew on battle fields.......

 

:: We moored at old pubs and sipped icy beers........

 



 

:: While Little Madame played ball with a friendly dog....

  

 

 

:: We went to Bewilder Wood and played amongst the trees......

  

:: Little Madame was a "London Girl!'.....

 



 :: London was wet and sunny all in one day...... 

 

 

:: Kensington Place, my favourite place....... 

 

 

:: We packed with heavy hearts...... 

 

Very heavy hearts because this holiday was just that - a HoLiDaY and I would HIGHLY recommend cruising the Norfolk Broads to anyone! It is an idyllic, relaxed and wonderful getaway. I was so relaxed and happy, that I do have to admit, I was teary when we got off the boat. ( Barnes Brinkcraft - is the name of the boat company) A few days ago... LSO asked Little Madame where she wanted to go for our holiday next year.... Yes!!You guessed it - 'Back to the boat PLEEZZEE papa!' came the immediate reply, I cant argue with that as a matter of fact....I am off to pack my bag.....xxx

 

 

Pretty Please Peeps....

I have a favour to ask of all you lovelies out there in blog land......

Its not a huge favour but it is one that would benefit me and my little blog! Could I ask you please to join and follow me, if you look down the right hand corner of my blog there is a followers button. Could you all please follow me, now I can hear some of you saying that you already do, however, if you see my posts on Facebook and follow the links.... you are not following me on Blogger( my Blog provider) I am wanting to start using Ad sense and start a little Etsy shop and I NEED more followers in order to qualify ,so  I am  being told!

So Pretty Please Peeps....Could you all follow me! ( all you get is a pop up on your news feed to say I have posted!)

Thank you all in anticipation....xxx

Bits and Bobs From The Last 3 Years!

Renovation Nation ...... Part 3

 

Weeks 3,4 and 5 have sort of merged together into one very long round of visiting the  wreck that was once our home......In between the rain! It has sometimes just pitter pattered down and sometime come down in buckets! The last few weeks when I have gone to look I have honestly felt despondent again, so much still to do.......  

  

 

The roof has taken ages.......  

 

The lounge wall came down......

 

We have plug points.... 

 

The ceiling went up....

An old door was for sale....(loads of rubble got taken away)

 

The patio was on its way to being complete.....

  

 

Old windows were taken out and new ones put in....

 

 

And suddenly.....

Suddenly things started to look better.....

Paint was chosen, cornicing went up, doors were made good and floors were laid...... 

 

 

And we even have our back garden back......

 

The garden is a little worst for the wear, but with ALL the rain it should be good as new in no time at all. So things are looking better all round, it is amazing what a HUMASSIVE difference a few days can make. I think we are into the home stretch now and to say I am SuPeR excited would be an understatement......xxx