Left Handed And Loving It

Morning all,  thank you for your comments about the left-handed thing, made me chuckle! I don't remember being made to try to write right-handed, but I do recall at school having my first tennis lesson and standing in the middle of the line clashing my racket against the next persons, and the teacher singling me out and sending me to the end of the line - it was at that point I realised there was a difference, and I have never forgotten how I felt - funny isn't it how stuff like that just stays with you!  Even now when I have a group golf lesson I automatically stand at the end of the line!  I just think that sometimes my brain takes a few seconds to think "left or right" don't even start me on laying the table - hubby has to make adjustments for me because I never get it right hehe!! At the end of the day it is just me and its nice to be....er how shall we say..... different!!!  So from now on I am going to be left-handed and loving it, and so should all you other left handers!!!!!

Couldn't resist taking a piccie of this deep red rose I was given as a birthday present last week , we are all searching for a bit of colour at the moment and this is cheering up our lounge.

Our daughter arrived home for a few days during her uni reading week and all three children surprised us with a special treat which they had meant to do for our anniversary, but we spoilt it by going away, so they rearranged it for this week.  It was a lovely luxury afternoon tea at The Grand Hotel in Brighton where we had a lovely table in the very long conservatory overlooking the sea and were able to sit and watch the world go by whilst tucking into this:-

needless to say, my diet has gone out the window this week!!  Actually hubby and I couldn't eat it all, but the staff kindly wrapped the rest up for us to take home.  It was such a lovely thing for the children to do for us and we were really chuffed. 

My daughter has completed more of her crochet whilst being home, she says she is finding it relaxing, which is a pleasant change from uni stress.

This is a square completed and now she is starting another, in the hope that one day a blanket will emerge!!

Talking of emerging, more of the sunflowers and leaves are emerging from the canvas mist!!

I hope you all have a great weekend.

Speak soon xx

Project Progress

Hello lovely blogland friends, how are you all today, thank you for taking the time to look at my blog - these are the projects I am up to at the moment
 

I am making progress with the sunflower rug - I love this piccie, it looks like the sunflowers are gradually being revealed, like they have a veil over them!  Its quite labour intensive, this project but I can happily sit with it on my lap, latch hooking away and watching the Winter Olympics - until much later in the night than I usually do - might explain why I'm feeling tired these last few mornings! 

When I have had enough latch hooking I switch to crochet hooking, to a project I am working on for the summer - here is a peek

Incidentally, I must have a veeeery mixed up brain I have decided - as I have said before I am left-handed, write with my left hand, play golf left-handed, use scissors in my right hand, crochet with my right hand, so I picked up the latch hook in my right hand - but my brain wouldn't compute!!  So I crochet hook in right and latch hook in left - how weird is that - its just a hook - I think I must be a little bonkers!!!!!

Do any other of you lovely left handers have the same problem?

Over the weekend I went to a lovely wool shop and couldn't resist this cotton and bamboo yarn - its my favourite summer colour - I have bought a pattern for quite a pretty top to crochet , I will show you more when I start it.

Have a great creative day!

Speak soon xx

My New Stash Store!

I can't believe it is Tuesday already, the weeks are flyyyying by, although it still feels like Spring is having trouble finding its way here! 

These lovely Tulips are keeping my spirits up at the moment and bring some very welcome colour into the drab days

I love them when they start to droop a little and the go very welll in my Emma Bridgewater jug.

These were a birthday present last week aren't they beautiful?  Gorgeous purply pink with light frilly edges, they almost look spikey but are soft to touch.  Yes its a reminder that surely Spring can't be too far away. 

Over the weekend we took an impromtu trip to IKEA, mainly because we have two lamps in the living room and somehow I managed to break both shades in a week!!! Don't ask me how, I hadn't even had a glass of wine!!    This of course prompted a wander round, you know, just to see if there was anything I just couldn't live without and there is was, my stash store solution

its great because it stays in our back room (a converted garage) where I have my computer and other stuff and I can just take a box out when I need to do a project, I also have a craft cupboard in this room, so I think I am pretty much sorted. 

This feels like the start of my spring cleaning, now this room is sorted.  I have just taken delivery of a new Dyson Ball cleaner, my old VAX expired in a cloud of smoke - so this is the first time I have used an upright cleaner and I am finding it a little difficult to get used to!!  So I will have to practice loads - super clean house coming up!!!

Speak soon xx

A Different Project

I have decided to try a different project this weekend, in fact I have three projects waiting in the wings, but this shall be my first one.

I was drawn to the lovely colour combination

yes, I will have to get to grips with a different type of hook - a latch hook,  it is going to be a little rug

with my favourite sunflowers to remind me of long hot sunny days..........

I have a bit of a fascination with rag rugs, I have wanted to have a go at one for a long time, I would like to make one using old t shirts and I have seen in books that this can work very well. 

This project will give me an insight into rug making - I did try many many moons ago before children and I can't even remember if I finished it! 

Have any of you made rugs with rags?  There is a section on the lovely flickr for rag rugs - very inspiring.

Thank you all for the lovely birthday wishes - made my day!

I hope you all have a great creative weekend!

Speak soon xx

Truly Blessed

The title says it all.  This week I feel truly blessed, it was my birthday a couple of days ago and I have to admit I wasn't too fussed about it, couldn't work up enthusiasm - do  you know what I mean?  but my family and friends made it special and it really made me take stock and realise how lucky I am.  It was nothing to do with presents or anything like that, it was things like nice words on cards, especially from my sons, who sometimes just come and go and don't say an awful lot!! Then there was my daughter who juggled her busy uni schedule to drive home to surprise me - really lovely.  Mum who at 80 managed to tackle the internet and order something special for me. Dear hubby who made me hot bacon croissants and steaming coffee, and friends who turned up to drop off a pressie and stayed drinking coffee all morning.  Then the postman arrived with a gift from a dear blogland friend!  You guessed it the dear Sue

sent me some lovely wool and some pattern books which are delightful, and how utterly charming of her.  So Thank you again Sue!  Then I quickly logged on here and there were Birthday wishes left for me too, so thank you each and every one of you - I really appreciated it. 

After a morning drinking coffee, hubby and I headed off to London.  I took my camera to take some piccies for you all but it rained SO much I didn't take a single one!! sorry!!  All I did was cling tightly to my umbrella and try not to take anyones eye out and avoid having my own eye taken out - lots of people on a crowded street all holding umbrellas can be lethal!!!  Hubby got wacked quite hard by one lady who didn't even give a backward glance at him!!

The purpose of the trip to London was to go to the Theatre and we went to see this:-

I am still toe-tapping and humming the songs - it was BriLLIaNT!!!!  If you get the chance and haven't already been - go and see it, you wont be disappointed.  So that rounded off a pretty perfect day for me. 

Yes truly blessed.

Speak soon xx

With Love From Me To You

Thank you for the lovely comments about our Anniversay, very kind of you all, and very much appreciated.

With Valentines day just around the corner I thought this is rather a nice little present to make and give to a loved one.  I have made a pocket on the front of one of the heart motifs - it is just a half a heart which is then crocheted together with the full heart.  A little heart shape button added and embellished with a couple of kisses!

The pocket is big enough to hold some lovely heart shaped choccies

but you could easily add other small gifts such as jewellery.

of course, it is rather girly ......... so I may have to give it to myself!!

Have a great weekend and enjoy Valentines Day (and the opening of the Winter Olympics!!!)

Speak soon xx

Bring on the Pearls!

Hi to all, I have been away from here a little longer than anticipated - thank you all for your lovely comments about stash-storing, and I am relieved to hear that the majority of you are JUst LiKe ME!! yes, you have it stashed in this bag and that bag, I don't feel half as bad now!!  Some of you do have plastic containers or keep it in baskets, but the general theme seems to be disorganisation!  My theory is, too much organisation disrupts the creative flow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hubby and I have been away on a couple of days break to celebrate our Pearl Wedding Anniversay - yes 30 years!  Can't quite believe it has been that long and we must have been so young!   We headed off to a really traditional English country hotel - have a peek at the stunning four poster bed!

and I fell in love with these chairs, perfect for doing some crochet in!

yes that is wool peeking out of the bag - had to take some crochet with me!

and the view from out bedroom window was great

we chilled and had coffee in the lovely conservatory

we ventured outside in the sleet to play golf

and did some lovely dining

It was a very special time.

Speak soon xx

Stash-Storing

Hello dear blogland friends - today a question- how do you store your stash?  I need advice, I'm looking for inspiration. It has occured to me that I am not that organised when it comes to stash-storing:-

I have one cupboard that I use for all of my craft stuff , and as you can see - veeeery disorganised, and my yarn seems to be in different bags - then I can't remember what I have - is this just a Kimbles thing or are some of you like this? 

or I have odd bits hanging around waiting to be made into something

and then in the lounge I have areas where I might sit and watch TV and crochet - messy!!!!!

HeLP!  do I need clear plastic storage boxes, or are they too cumbersome, or more bags ?  I will be very interested to hear how you store your stash!!

Have a great weekend

Speak soon xx

Cushion Colourfulness

I have finally finished a project which I started last year and then it got put to the bottom of my WIP bag when I was busy making gifts, and I re-discovered it over the weekend.  It came from a pattern from the lovely Garden Bell - Kate coupled with colour inspiration from Attic 24 - Lucy I believe Kate called her blanket which she made with this stitch,  the Circus Parade and it is certainly colourful! 

I like to make a different back to my cushions so I can ring the changes

The stitch is fun ripple stich and there is a tutorial on Kate's blog.  I finished it off with a crochet ruffle around the edge - purple again - I always seem to finish and edge stuff in purple!!!!

So this cushion has taken its place with my other colourful creations - I suggest you put your sunglasses on the the next piccies - soooooooo much colour oh yes!!!!!!

and this is the back view

such a lovely jumble of colour!

Now a thank you to Mrs Twins - Sue, who mentioned me yesterday on her blog - and all the things I get up to, I felt tired just reading it - didn't realise I did that much!!!!!!!  Seriously, thanks Sue, please visit her blog and maybe make some squares to send to her for the blankets for the elderly, if you are able to.

Apart from making friends from all over the world, another great thing about blogging, is that it encourages you to complete all projects, start new ones and always be on the look out for trying a new craft - Im sure you all must feel like this - its great!!!!!!

Thank you for your lovely comments as always :-

Speak soon xx

Welcome February!

Hello dear blogland friends, I hope you all had a good weekend.  Here in the Kimbles household it was quite mellow, no rushing around, no household chores, it was just plain old chilling.  Oh, there were things pending but - hey Monday comes around too quickly - I decided they could wait.  Hubby ambled off to the football with some of his mates (they won so good mood all round), and I headed off with my mum to Hobbycraft.  Our one is linked to a Garden Centre so we wandered round with nothing particular in our minds to buy - great, no pressure, we had a leisurely lunch - and then we headed into Hobbycraft **** do you know what, I expect you other crafters feel the same,  I can feel positively bre....ath...less going into a shop like that, I mean there is sooooo much I could choose, where to start, art stuff, wool, embroidery, books, beads.  I find myself flitting from one thing to the next oh yes, shall I do this, shall I do that, my brain gets completely addled.!!!!  I was lucky enough to have been given some money to spend and mum had some birthday tokens - and we both found it difficult to choose.

It was a laugh and a nice predicament to be in!  I bought a giant ball of pom pom wool, some ordinary wool for blanket making among other things which I will show you soon .  Over tea and cake at mums I started with the pom pom wool it is one scarf in a ball and  is knitted with large needles and 5 stitches, sounds easy, but it was quite fiddly but lovely and soft

it looks a bit fur-like and is lovely and warm

I think Karin made something similar which she showed on her blog and hers was crochet.  It was a fun small project for the weekend although I was pom pomed out by the end of it!!!!!!  My other little project for the weekend was this glasses case for myself - I have made one for a friend but needed one for my handbag.

really quick and easy to do with a double crochet tube, edged with crab stitch and crab stitched together at the bottom with a little embroidery and matching button.  Its just what I needed, I am still getting used to wearing glasses when I work, craft etc and I am always chucking them into my handbag without the hard case, so hopefully this soft case will protect them and not take up so much room. 

Can't believe it is February already - unlike most people I like February, it is the month I was born, the month I got married, it of course has Valentines Day and Shrove Tuesday, and this year has added interest for me because the Winter Olympics starts, so as far as I am concerned there will be lots of sitting watching events and probably crocheting at the same time yipee!!!! (Gosh I sound like a right couch potato!!!)

Speak soon xx