A Busy Week

Phew, at last I have peace and quiet to write my post.  Its school holidays here and I have two excitable kiddies staying with me, as I don’t get to see them often I am giving them my undivided attention.  They are spending the next two days with a friend who has a farm with horses, sheep and dogs etc. (They are city kids.)  Needless to say I have managed to get a lot of crochet done mainly in the evening and it had to be mindless as I was knackered.

Cowl

It is not on the list, but I was given some lovely wool, so I crocheted this using a simple “V” stitch on a 5.5mm hook.  Its lovely and warm, just right for the bitter cold we are experiencing here.

Wash Cloths

I find that I can do a washcloth in an evening and they make good mindless crocheting in front of the TV.  These three are  from the top Thick and Bumpy Potholder, Crossroad ribbed washcloth and Simplestripes washcloth. (click on the names for pattern)

I felt in the mood for bright colours, so the top one is the simple stripes again and the other two are from the Wednesday cal from the 2016 Weekly dishcloth and cals group on Ravelry – Simple Dishcloth. 

A Mystery

For a long time I have been ogling the rustic lace square that is doing the rounds.

I finally found a chart on Instagram you have to scroll down and I believe the chart is also on Pinterest.  Here

The mystery is despite repeated calls for the designer to come forward no one has, so far it has been attributed to coming from a Spanish mag and they have not responded.  So, I am adding my two penny worth to call for the designer to come forth.  Crochet Tea Party has done a written version of it on Ravelry

The other mystery is that I don’t know what it is going to turn into yet!  A table cloth, a bed cover or a curtain?  My inspiration has come from a wonderful blog – Pigtails, she has made a table cloth, gorgeous. 

I have actually more to show but will leave it for next week as I am not sure how much crochet I will get done before the kids go home. Lol.

So see you all on my rounds

Afghans and Shells

I have had a productive week!  Mainly because the weather has been terrible, we are definitely are now in the thick of winter so lots of sitting in front of the fire doing yarny stuff and painting. 

Afghans

I have decided to get stuck into my Around the Bases Afghan that I have not touched since October.  To be fair to myself I was suffering terribly with Carpal Tunnel and eventually had to have operations on both wrists in December.  (Anyone who is putting off the idea of an operation for it, don’t, they have changed my life.)

For the centre which you chose yourself I used Bursting with Pride by Amber Schaaf, up to round 11, then I adapted elements from Sophies Universe by Dedri Uys.

I had got up to Part 3 I had to stop.  This week I have reached part 8. There are 8 more to go.  I had hope to get a better picture of it this afternoon but the kitties decided it was lovely to nap on I being the softy  I am I let them be.  You can see the rounds I added in the bottom corner!

Shells

The other thing that has been grabbing my attention is freeform = shells  In the IFFF group on Ravelry there is a kcal Down by the Seashore 

This week hosted by Nell, she designed a limpet and other goodies.  These are my efforts.

 I love shells and have a collection in my bathroom so they had to adorn them.

 Doing the shells awaken my desire to paint which has been dormant for a while, so I got the watercolours out and ended up with three pieces of art. Thanks Nell.

On this last one I am toying with the idea of using  pastels to make shell like marks, but I will brew on it for a bit.

Well its Sunday night  and so another week begins and I will leave you with this funny my sister emailed me this week.

A YEAR OF PROJECTS

Here goes …..

Afghans

I have many Afghans on the go, I think I suffer startitis!  So I want to rein in the impulse to start each new Cal I see!

Current WIPs

Frida

Bamm Shazamm

Bam2016

(the above three are up to date as they current Cals)

Sophie

Around the Bases

Puffed Wheat

Power of Love

Also I am letting myself do one in September as there are Cals that look interesting starting them, but before I start it I have to have finished Sophie or around the Bases.

Doilies

There are two directions I want to take with doilies, one traditional ( I am making an off white bed cover made up of doilies from Patricia Kristoffersens book Fabulous Doilies: two I want to experiment using modern colours with antique patterns.

New Ventures

I have just discovered Freeform crochet and so I would like to make a bag and a wall-hanging.

Household items

I would like to make more things that are useful, like dishcloths and try some with knitting rather than crochet.

On the sewing front I want to make new curtains for my home as I discovered there are some wonderful fabrics out there.  Also ah hem I would like to have a go at recovering one of my sofas!!!!

Art

I would like to take a foray into making a journal out of fabric, crochet knitting needlework and paint!

Well I think that is enough to go on; knowing me the list will get ever bigger as the year goes on!  I think it is going to be a great productive year with the blog along keeping me motivated.  I look forward to seeing the other participants’ lists!

 

A New Start

I have decided to resuscitate my blog, however the focus is going to be on my crochet and crafts, art will creep in but as I don't do much painting these days, but a lot of crochet (play with colour satisfies my artistic desires.)

Mandala Madness Cal

To keep me on the straight and narrow I have joint a group of bloggers on Ravelry (a knit and crochet haven). A Year of projects Blog along is where you post at the start of the year (they go from July to June) all the projects you want to complete.  And boy oh boy do I need this my WIP pile is huge!!!
I am in the process of doing this list with a few projects that I know are coming up and will post them on July 5th.

For relief from some Afghan joining, I made the above washcloths for a neighbour who needed a boost.  Pattern here

The Cal that I am in the process of joining and then doing the border is the Power of Love Cal by Margaret McInnis one of my favourite designers.

In anticipation of the blog along I have designed a banner and button  to share.

The aim is to post once a week about the projects on your list,  cant wait for it to start.

Take care

Sharon

Just Maybe...

This weeks effort at journalling.

Back Again

Its been a really hot start to the year, not conducive to energetic activity, however I have managed to do some art and crochet, the poor garden is dry as a crisp, hopefully we will get some rain soon.

Crochet

I have decided to gift crochet blankets to family this year, and the easiest way to do this is join CAL’s on Ravelry. My favourite is BAM2016  (Block a Month), well actually there is two the main block and alternative filler.

January main pattern is Stars Aligned by Polly Plum, here

January filler is Larksfoot by From Home pattern here

Of course the main square for February had to be a heart! Grandma's Heart pattern here.  I changed the last 5 rounds and added the popcorns as I wanted it more solid.

I loved the filler square, Fan Dance by Polly Plum again, pattern here.

I am doing sveral other Cals but will show in later posts.

However I couldnt resist doing this doily for Valentines day.

ART

I am trying to do a spread in my journal every week.

Well that is it for today, I am going to try and post once a week, cause I miss blogging!

See you soon Sharon

A New Girl and a Cat with Attitude.

This week I picked up my brushes for the first time for months.  I think she is surprised as I am!!!!

I have been working in my journal but it is at the messy stage.  Do you find that your work goes through a  stage where you hate it, but a few squiggles a day or so later you love it again?  Hopefully next week I will have more to show you.

On the crochet front I have made this little fellow (12cm) for a friend in the US,  He is upset as he about to be wrapped up in bubble wrap!  I suppose I would be too!

Thanks for visiting and hope to visit you all at PPF this weekend.

Silence

Not a productive week!  Messed everything up!
However Giggles of The Happy Tiler  saved the day.
Since I stopped blogging earlier in the year, I have lurked  about PPF but haven't felt like leaving  comments.   Tonight when I read her latest post,  it really spoke to me.  I have had heaps of grief this year and just cant speak.  It hurts too much.  I was sitting on the couch thinking I must leave a comment while watching the Australian  version of The Voice and Adam Lambert was guest singer.  He sang My heart is a Ghost Town and I realised that what was the matter.  I have to lay the ghosts to rest!  Let the living come into my heart, let my heart live, and stop the silence.

So I photographed a messed up drawing and played with it digitally.  Thanks Sherry.

A fresh start

Wow it has been nearly 6 months since I last posted!  Time does fly.   My art mojo took a holiday.  At times I was convinced I would never create a picture again.  But a miracle happened the weekend.  I started to draw again. I woke up in the middle of the night, with heaps of inspiration.  I was twitching to start, in the end I got up at 4:30 and got my pencils out of the dark depths of my art cupboard and started…..

At this stage I only feel like drawing, I have decided to do a journal of the whimsical world of a young girl, completely random, just whatever takes her fancy, be it nature or other people.  I have no idea where it is going to take me, but the journey will be interesting.

What do I have to thank for this inspiration?  While I have not been up to painting I have been creative.  Mostly, crochet.  Beautiful glorious colour!

I have been doing a Crochet along with Dedri Uys of Look what I made fame.  It is called Sophie’s Universe and is an amazing piece of design.  I got way behind as for while there I lost my crochet mojo too.  But I am still plugging away at it.

It is already a metre wide, and I am only half way through.  But it makes me smile every time I see it, had to use it in my new header.

I have decided to streamline and have my blogging under one roof.  So my arty friends, I will post arty stuff on Friday and Sunday, and my crafty friends I will post on week days.

I am going to try and post the saga of Sophie every weekend, so tune then to see her first Adventure.

A bit of crochet eye candy! 

As you see creativity will always find a way to manifest!

Thanks for visiting and see you soon.

Linking with Sunday Sketches today.

Sharon

Happy Birthday PPF!

Paint Party Friday is 4 today!  Wow 4 years that is a massive achievement by Kristin and Eva.  It success I am sure is the sense of community there is amongst participants.   We all support each other in our growth as artists; I know that my art has benefited from being part of PPF.

To celebrate this event Eva and Kristen has asked us to do selfies.  Here is my attempt. I actually got my oils out and used an old canvas that already was painted with dark blue.

I am in the throes of packing for my move in a couple of weeks.  However I managed to get some quiet time.  I had to go to Greytown a town further down the valley.  It is an old colonial town and has lots of lovely settler houses set in beautiful garens.

But my favourite bit was my walk and picnic lunch in a stand of original bush land that has been preserved near the camping grounds.

The shade and green was bliss on a very hot day.

HAVE A GREAT CREATIVE WEEK ALL PPF PEOPLE.