(Crafty) Book Worm

I really love craft books, I don't have a huge collection but the ones I have I use a lot and probably flick through at least one nearly every day. I'm not really a fan of craft magazines to be honest, I buy the odd one such as Simply Crochet if there is a project in it I really like and occasionally, G buys me a copy of Mollie Makes but apart from that, I don't tend to bother with them. But, crafty books, I adore...

We have a bookcase in the living room and the middle shelf is where I have all my craft books.

The books above are my absolute favourites and are definitely the ones I use the most.

 

It's no surprise then that Cute & Easy Crochet is there! I think any regular blog readers will probably know that I really love this book, I think it is one of the best crochet books around, especially for those relatively new to crochet (like me), because each project is so well explained and each one is beautiful and achievable.

 

Make! and Homemade were two of the first crafty books I ever bought a few years ago. I don't know why, but when Miss M was about six months old and I was returning to work, I had a really strong urge to start knitting again. My mum gave me a little refresher and that was me, I began knitting a lot and making other things too. Then, I learned to crochet last winter and that has been me ever since really! And so my collection of craft books has grown too...

A recent addition to my collection has been Hip Crochet By Natalie Clegg. G kindly bought this for me a few weeks ago. This is a lovely crochet book, the projects in it are really nice, some quite different from those I have seen in other books. The author also uses quite a few budget yarns such as my favourite Stylecraft Special DK. To me this is great, as I often find that authors tend to favour expensive yarns which are most definitely out of my price range! I like this book a lot and I am planning to make a few of the projects in it. In fact, I have already made a little something - a little 'cache pot' which is on the front cover of the book. I made the smallest size and it is perfect for storing necklaces...

 

I have a few other books I have my eye on too...

Granny Squares. I read a lovely review for this on Chrissie's blog and it has been on my wish list ever since...

Cute & Easy Crocheted Flowers. I can't wait until this is released...

Mollie Makes Crochet. Not long until this is released either...

 

So, I would really love to know what your favourite craft books are?! Do we have any of the same favourites? Any that you think are a 'must- have' for any crafter?! Please share....

X

 

Posted with Blogsy

A Cushion for Mum

It was my lovely mum's birthday this week, so I crocheted a little cushion for her in colours to match her living room...

It's quite a small cushion - it measures 30cm x 30cm. I used Stylecraft Special Aran in Lavender (1188) and Cream (1005) with a 4mm hook. For the front, I made 16 simple little granny squares and double crocheted them together, I then made a large plain granny square in Cream only for the back.

Here it is, on the sofa in my mum and dad's living room...

Mum was really pleased with her new cushion and I loved making it for her. I really, really enjoy making (and giving!) handmade gifts, especially for my mum as she is also a crafty, creative type and I know she particularly enjoys these types of gifts too.

Thank you for the sweet comments on my last post. It seems that the spring throw from Cute & Easy Crochet is a popular project which quite a few of us bloggers are working on at the moment!

Wishing you all a lovely weekend...

X

 

Posted with Blogsy

Pretty Pastels

Enjoying some crochet this morning with a cup of tea and one of my mum's delicious chocolate and coconut cookies. I have started a new blanket! This will not be a quick project and I fully expect it to take me months and months to complete. I am making the spring time throw from Cute & Easy Crochet but all the squares will be pink and white - i am really quite excited about this blanket! I plan to work on these sweet little squares in between other projects...

A pastel posy in my favourite little glass bottle...

Pretty new teaspoons! I have had my eye on these for ages and finally bought them when I was in Glasgow on Saturday. I really, really love them and have been enjoying using them so much. G does not understand this teaspoon love at all and thinks I am completely bonkers...

My current cross stitch...

I made a large version of these for my mum's birthday cake yesterday. I like how pretty the marshmallows look on top of the cake...

I just love pinks and pastels, definitely favourite colours of mine!

 

Thank you for the lovely comments on my shell picture, I really enjoyed reading them all - you are all so kind.

Wishing you all a lovely week...

X

 

 

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Shell Picture

Whilst we were collecting shells on the beach on our holiday, G had an idea that I could make a little picture with the pretty ones as a little momento of our holiday.

We brought all our shells home with the rest of our souvenirs, then Miss M washed them and we left them outside to dry. G found a piece of slate in the shed and I simply glued the shells on in a heart shape with extra strong all purpose glue. Miss M started off helping me with this but she got a bit fed up to be honest and so I ended up finishing it on my own...

I just love this seagull ribbon and think it finishes off the picture nicely...

Here it is on one of the (many!) shelves in the kitchen. It's quite rustic looking I think! However, I'm happy with how it has turned out and I think it's a nice little reminder of our lovely holiday.

X

 

Posted with Blogsy

Simple things...

...in a very full week! Miss M goes back to school on Monday so it has been pretty hectic here getting things organised. I have also been busy, busy at work and have had some extra things to do for that this week too. Although I haven't had much time for crafting or baking, I have been enjoying some very simple things...

A pretty posy of flowers from the garden. Can you see Miss M's wellies? They are covered in little horse pictures and she is in love with them! She wants to wear them all the time...

G's homemade bread. He loves making it and we all enjoy eating it! It's especially good with strawberry jam...

A cup of tea in bed whilst browsing one of my favourite knitting books - The Knitter's Year by Debbie Bliss. Lots of inspiration for new projects...

What simple things have you been enjoying this week?

X

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Cake and Crochet

Little pink "jazzie" cakes which Miss M and I made together yesterday. Unashamedly girlie! Not that it put G off in the slightest, he happily devoured a couple of them...

I spent an enjoyable few hours yesterday working on a few crochet projects. The little red bow has a little hair clip attached and Miss M is happily wearing it in her hair at this very moment! I have also started on my crochet bag which I wrote about in this post...

So crochet and cake, combine very well to make a perfect Saturday don't you think?!

 

Thank you for the lovely comments on my little elephant brooch! You have all convinced me, and as well as making one for Miss M, I will also most definitely make one for myself too!

X

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Ellie the very small elephant

I made this little elephant brooch this week for my niece's birthday. She is a very girly girl and likes all things cute and pretty so hopefully she will like this tiny brooch. The tutorial came from issue fifteen of Mollie Makes - it said in the instructions that it would only take an hour to make and it really did!

I think it's sweet and would actually like one for myself but I'm unsure if I'm perhaps too old to wear a cute elephant brooch?! I will definitely make at least one more anyway as Miss M has decided that she would really like one too!

Thank you for the lovely comments recently - they are always read and always very much appreciated :)

X

 

Posted with Blogsy

Holiday Treasures

We brought home a few souvenirs from our recent holiday on Arran...

Pretty sea glass. The three of us spent a whole morning on Corrie beach collecting this. Miss M absolutely loved it and was constantly shouting "Mummy/Daddy look at this piece! It's a beauty!" So sweet. I am now on the look out for a pretty bowl to display our lovely sea glass in...

We went to a little craft market where I bought this gorgeous handmade soap. It smells beautiful and I love the little vintage saucer which came with it too...

Miss M used some of her holiday pennies to buy this cute doggie brooch...

G treated me to this gorgeous candle from here...

Mr Seagull was bought to hang in the kitchen...

Lastly lots of pretty shells. We spent an enjoyable afternoon on Whiting Bay beach collecting these. Miss M has washed them all and they are now drying out on the garden table. I have a little craft project planned for them...

 

So, a few inexpensive but meaningful souvenirs. When we go away I always like to bring back one or two little things to remind us of our holiday and of good family times.

 

Happy Monday everyone!

X

 

Posted with Blogsy

Arran

We have just returned from a lovely week's holiday on The Isle of Arran. Miss M enjoyed the ferry crossing..

We stayed in a little cottage in Lamlash Bay. The second photo above was the view from our bedroom window...

We spent lots of time visiting the beaches on different parts of the island, looking for shells, sea glass and the ever elusive heart shaped pebble...

Miss M enjoyed making her very own soap here...

Beautiful sunset...

Brodick Castle and it's beautiful walled gardens...

It was such a nice holiday, there were quite a few children staying in the cottages next to ours and Miss M made some lovely new friends, they played rounders and we all went rock pooling together. In the evenings we played dominoes and Bingo! It was a very relaxing holiday, I needed it and feel completely rested now.

It's good to be back home, even though there is lots of laundry to be done, I'm still happy to be back in my own wee house!

We brought back a few little souvenirs which I will show soon.

Thank you for the lovely comments on my little pin cushion! It was lovely to come back to those...our holiday was an Internet free zone! I did some cross stitch while we were away - I always take a cross stitch project on holiday for some reason - but tonight I plan to do some crochet. I have missed crochet and have decided that next year I will definitely take a cross stitch and a crochet project away with me!

X

 

Posted with Blogsy