Happy New Year

This lovely poem sums up what New Year is to me....a time for fresh starts and new beginnings.Happy New Year one and all x 

This New Year

© Aleena

Even during the worst of times

When I feel the years go slipping by

Life seems rife with possibilities

When the New Year arrives.

Buoyed by hope at the new year coming

I feel renewed and want to start living.

This year I'll travel and see the sights

I'll be bold, I'll be courageous

I'll reach out and go beyond

I might even try being flirtatious!

I'll be a new fish in a brand new pond.

This new year I'll be brave and I'll be strong.

Even though time does fly

I won't let this year be wasted

I'll look forward to new adventures

And be open to opportunities I am graced with.

I'll learn and laugh and have good times

I won't dwell on years gone by

I'll start each new morning a brand new way

I'll pretend it is New Year's Day!

Source: 
www.FamilyFriendPoems.com 

Back To Normal.....

I had a really lovely break over Easter.  We spent a busy few days visiting family and attending football matches but this morning it was back to work for hubby and back to running my little online business for me.

I spent the morning printing patterns and packaging up little booties that had been ordered over Easter and then it was on to housework.  We have barely been at home the past few days so caught up with the washing, hoovering and dusting etc

I found time this afternoon to make a lasagne and a yummy lemon drizzle cake so that's tea sorted for when hubby comes in from work.

I'm looking forward to sitting down this evening and doing some knitting/crochet....I have a fine 3ply shawl that needs finishing and I also want to make a knitted hat and pair of mittens to put with a pram blanket I finished last week.

Happy Easter...

Happy Easter!

We are having quite a lazy morning drinking tea and eating Hot Cross Buns.  This afternoon we are off to see family to give out chocolate eggs and have a family dinner.  Hope you all have a wonderful day....and don't eat too much chocolate ;-) 

Where Did Spring Go??

Hard to believe that this time last week I was sat out in the garden with the hot sun beating down knitting to my heart's content.

This morning we are back to cold, wintery weather with thick snow in some parts of the country.

Looks like my sandals are being put away again and time to get the boots back out!

A Busy Few Days.....

I've been taking advantage of this lovely summery weather we have all been enjoying for the past few days....it certainly puts a spring in your step!

I've had a good sort out in my back garden...tidying up my pots and topping them up with fresh compost.  My little veg patch has been turned over and fresh compost added all ready for this season's veg.  I've planted potatoes in 3 large pots and have sown lettuce, beetroot, spring onion and radish seeds.

On Sunday we had a trip to the Garden Centre and I bought some pretty tulips and cheerful pansies to spruce up my flower pots....I could spend a fortune in there!

It has felt so good to be out in the fresh air and heaven being able to give the washing a blow on the line...so much nicer than drying it inside!

I've also found a little time to just sit with my knitting and a cup of coffee and enjoy the sun.

Spring Is Here....

I think Spring might be here...what a beautiful, warm, sunny day it has been.

I so love being able to potter about in my little garden doing a little tidying here and there.  My rhubarb is going great guns and there will soon be enough stalks to cut and make rhubarb crumble...mmmmm.....can't wait!

Bonnie

This is my latest knitting design Bonnie...comprising of a pretty lacy dress, bonnet and bootees

I knitted the sample outfits in Twilleys Freedom Gorgeous which is a DK (light worsted weight) yarn so the outfit grows quickly but does not loose the delicate, girly effect which I am hoped to create which quite often happens when using anything other than a 4ply (fingering weight) yarn

The lace pattern on the skirt of the dress does require concentration so I wouldn't recommend the design for someone new to knitting but I do think the finished effect is worth the effort required.

I have the completed outfit above listed in my ebay shop Here 

I have listed the pattern on my website Tipeetoes.co.uk and it can also be found in my Etsy Store Here and it is also available for immediate download on Ravelry Here

Baby Shawl

Every now and then I get the urge to make a baby shawl....for no-one in particular but just for the enjoyment of creating something beautiful.

I decided that this time I would make a crocheted shawl so trawled through my baby pattern books for a suitable pattern.

I settled on a dainty shell pattern in fine 2ply yarn.....luckily I had enough Patons 2ply in my stash so was able to get to work straight away.....and here is the finished result

 I have listed the finished shawl in my ebay shop Precious Newborn Knits if anyone would like to take a peek.

It would make a beautiful christening of home-coming gift for a new baby.

Yet More Socks....

My latest effort.... Boot Socks...hand knitted in Regia World College 6ply Yarn which I bought on offer from one of my favourite online wool shops Kemps.

I followed this very simple pattern on Ravelry Comfy DK Socks which is available as a free download.

Socks....

I've got the sock bug again!!

One of my knitting friends sent me two balls of this lovely sock yarn as she hasn't really the time to make socks and as a thank you I made her the pair above.  She loved them...which made me so happy!

Me being me I can never stop at one pair and with all those gorgeous yarns to work with I had to cast on another pair immediately.

I bought some sock yarn from Black Sheep Wools sometime last year and it has been hidden away in my stash so all I had to do was decide on a pattern.

Browsing the numerous sock patterns on Ravelry I came across this lovely pattern by Adrienne Ku for these Simple SKYP Socks...pattern here

I really enjoyed making them and the only thing I did differently was to change the shaping of the toe section.

They are an easy knit which means I can catch up with my tv programmes whilst knitting.  They don't require too much concentration and I would be happy to make them again.

Kemps Wools have some lovely sock wool on offer at the moment so I had to purchase a few balls for my next project......Boot Socks!

Tommy..

Tommy is my latest knitting design.....I wanted to create a traditionally styled baby boy's set with a modern feel about it too

The design consists of a collared jacket which has a simple to knit 4 row eyelet pattern on the yolk and the collar.

The sleeves and body of the coat are worked in simple garter and stocking stitch

I tried 3 styles of hat to the outfit before I finally settled on the 'peaked cap' style to give me the look that I was trying to achieve. The eyelet pattern is worked as a band around the cap.

A cute pair of T-Bar style ankle strap shoes complete the set.

Once knitted up the outfit would make a perfect 'new baby' gift

Quick to knit using double knitting (light worsted weight) yarn and looks as good worked in one colour as it does in two.

If you would like to knit the set the pattern can be purchased from my website Tipeetoes.co.uk for baby knitting patterns 

 Ravelry where you can purchase an immediate download and also in my  Etsy Store or my  Ebay shop Precious Newborn Knits

Happy Valentines Day..

Aren't I a lucky girl....my wonderful hubby came home with these beautiful flowers, card and chocolates.

I hope everyone has had a lovely Valentines Day with the ones they love x

So Cold......

It's been another cold week with snow and freezing temperatures thankfully I have had my crocheted granny square blanket to snuggle under!

I used Stylecraft Special DK in shades of orange, brown, cream and beige...very 70's

I really enjoyed this project as I do with almost all the blankets I make although I am running out of places to put them!

This Brought A Smile.....

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.

For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover.

In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside. She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000. He asked her about the contents.

"When we were to be married," she said, "my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll."

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness.

"Honey," he said, "that explains the dolls, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?"

"Oh," she said, "That's the money I made from selling the dolls."

Recent Knits.

The weather is very, very chilly and with snow forecast for over the weekend I can see lots of knitting getting done!

I'm in the middle of designing a new pattern for a baby boy.  I've done the first outfit and typed out the pattern so now I am in the middle of checking through the pattern and re-knitting the design to check for errors.  I am hoping to have it ready for release sometime next week (all being well)

It's been bright and sunny here today and if it wasn't so cold you could be mistaken for thinking that it was a summer's day!

I got the camera out and snapped these two little outfits that I recently made

Knitting!

Another very cold day dawns.....I'm thankful that I do not have to go out until this evening....a day of knitting beckons!

'Nuala' Baby Knitting Pattern

This is my first design of 2012 comprising of a baby girls lacy bolero style cardigan with beret style hat and the cutest little ankle strap shoes.

Designed to fit a baby 0-3 Months it is a very quick and easy knit and a great little stash buster as the whole outfit only takes 100g of yarn.

Knitted on size 3.25mm and 4mm needles it makes up in a jiffy!

I think the design would work just as well knitted in one colour but I think the picot detailing looks lovely picked out in a contrast to the main yarn.

This is a pink and navy blue version - not to everyone's taste but it is good to show how different colours work!

You can find the pattern on my website : Tipeetoes.co.uk for baby knitting patterns it can also be found on Ravelry, Etsy and my Ebay shop

A Treat for The Weekend..

It's been such a dreary, wet day today that I fancied making us a treat for the weekend.  I have made this dessert before and believe me not only is it sooooo easy to make but it tastes absolutely delicious.

Key Lime Pie

75g butter

225g crushed gingernut biscuits (you could use digestives instead)

1 Medium Carton Double Cream

Juice of 4 Limes 

397g can of condensed milk

I start off my weighing out my butter and popping it into the microwave to melt.

Meanwhile I blitz the gingernuts in the processer until they resemble breadcrumbs

Next mix the biscuits and melted butter together and press into the base of your tin.  The tin is then popped into the fridge to chill.

Whilst the base is chilling prepare the filling.  I always pop my limes into the microwave for about 40 seconds as this helps to maximise the juice from them. 

Place the condensed milk, double cream and the lime juice together in a bowl and whisk until thick and creamy.  This happens in a very short time probably less than a minute.

Spoon the cream mixture onto the chilled biscuit base and pop into the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight if you prefer

I decorated the top with chocolate flakes but sliced fruit works equally as good. 

Enjoy!!

A Bit of A Leak....

I had a dentist appointment yesterday morning and on returning home the first thing I did was to go into the kitchen to make a cup of tea.  I glanced up at the ceiling and saw that the plaster was bubbling away from the wall and a dirty stain was appearing on the white ceiling.....

I rushed upstairs to the bathroom as this sits directly over the top of our kitchen and around the bath was a pool of water....we must have a leaky pipe!

Hubby has sorted out our little disaster upstairs but now the kitchen needs some attention.  The plaster will have to be removed from the section of wall and ceiling and redone.  Thankfully my husband can sort this out and we will have to re-decorate (which I am secretly pleased about)

At the moment we have a terracotta shade on the walls with beech cabinets, white ceiling and white paintwork. I never really took to the colour the last time we painted but I had learnt to live with it!

I think this time around I fancy something completely different......an olive shade of green.....similar to this shade

Looking on the internet I have seen similar shades working well with the colour cabinets that we have.

I came across this picture whilst looking for inspiration last night.

I think it will work well in our kitchen as we have lots of light coming in so it won't be too dark.  I am quite looking forward to popping to the DIY Store soon and choosing the paint......although I can't say that I am looking forward to the actual painting!