Wednesday 28 November 2018

A Finish and a GRRRRR!

The wee hoodie for Floki is finished. Yay!


The hoodie was knitted using a fiddlesticks yarn cake which changes colour every so often. 
I used up some odd blue buttons to finish it off.
I hope it fits, the pattern says 12 months, but the boy is growing like a weed!
His mum says he is already in 9-12 month clothing!!
I'd like to say it's in the mail and on it's way, but I can't.
(More about that shortly.)
Looking about for something to do yesterday, I settled on some cross stitch.
This Jewelled Elephant was supposed to be a Christmas gift.
And it still will be, just not this year! LOL
There a four colours of seed beads and a few sparkling threads used, which will eventually make it jewelled.
As today is yet another wet day off.
I'll be sitting and stitching.
So about my inability to post items....
Some bad people have gotten hold of my credit card details.
GRRRRR!
They dipped their toe in the water by taking $2.20, Which I noticed and contacted the bank about right away.  The bank agreed to stop my card and send out a new one.
Then yesterday, I noticed that the bank had allowed the same bad people to take $90!!  
How does that work?
I contacted the bank again and asked what was going on? 
My card is cancelled, how can it be used to take more money?
The lovely lady I was talking to said, how do they have your new card details?
These naughty people have my NEW card details!!
I don't even have those yet!!!
So a second new card is on its way and the fraud department will be in touch in the next 20 days!!
And I have to check my account daily and alert the bank to any further payments.
Great!! 
That's all I need.
I'm off to grumble, while I sit and stitch.

Wednesday 21 November 2018

A few goings on....

The weather at the moment has taken another wintry turn. With cold southerlies bringing rain, hail, snow and even a tornado!!  
Yesterday the view from my wee room looked like this!
Wet, wet, wet. 
 A good day to stay indoors and sew. 
Sew that is what I did.
 There was a fair amount of secret stuff going on, but I did get the binding onto this little kiwi table runner, which is not so secret.
Well, not secret from you anyway. LOL
I just used up some charm squares I had rejected from other projects and used a black on black for the sash and outline strips.
I closed the binding last night, but forgot to take a photo and it's already wrapped up and waiting to go to the post office. LOL
A recent start is a knitted hoodie for Floki.
The pattern calls for three different coloured yarns and a set number of rows in each colour. I opted to use a woolly layer cake and achieved a more random colour pattern.
Its knitting up quickly and he may even get it in time for Christmas
I forgot to show you this the other day when I chatted about organising gifts for my grand children.
Claire makes these keys for her crafty stall, I just had to have some and sent them away in the mail the other day.
 
What a lovely idea, especially in these times when many homes no longer have chimneys.
How else would Santa get in?
And speaking of the craft stall, the blanket I showed as a WIP last time is all done and waiting to go over to Claires place. (Hence the start on the wee hoodie)
During a break in the stormy weather this morning, I took a turn around the garden and found these beauties all blown over, so I cut them and brought them inside.


According to the weather man the stormy weather is set to continue, and I have another day off work, so back into my room it is.
Have fun with your day.

Wednesday 14 November 2018

Todays Doings.

I'm still settling into my new routine. It's taking a bit of getting used to, but I'm sure I'll get there.
I worked an extra shift yesterday so today is my only day off until Sunday. I wasted spent most of it sat here at the computer, but in that time I did manage to get onto Amazon.co.uk and arrange Christmas gifts for my beautiful grand children back in Blighty!
I love that I can do that.
Miss Faith (5) requested everything unicorns please!!
So one or two items bearing that creatures likeness are on their way to Birmingham England.
Master Floki (6.5 months) has requested some PJs and 'not plastic' toys please.
So his wish is also being granted.
DS Joe has settled into life with a young lady here in NZ, she already has a beautiful wee girl who is a bundle of energy. I can't leave her out, so this afternoon I settled into my room and put together this advent calendar for her.
Now I just need to find some goodies to fill up the pockets.
 None of the above is what I had planned to do today!!
I was going to put a lap quilt onto the frame and get it quilted. LOL
It would have been a lovely day to work in the back room today.
the sun is shining and the garden is looking lovely.
 The wedding cake tree, the one you all like so much is looking resplendent and heavy with flowers.
The birds are going to get a good feed of that later in the summer.
Just beneath it the peonies are beginning to flower. I've been cutting single stems and bringing them into the house.
They do look stunning.
I'm off to see what else I can achieve before Mr H gets home.


Friday 9 November 2018

The New Rhythm.

After the initial flurry of excitement I find I'm struggling to settle into the new work/life rhythm. I thought I would be able to spend time crafting in the mornings before my later starts, but very little of that has happened. Even my days off seem to have very little crafty time in them.  Sigh, maybe it will come in time.....
That doesn't mean my crafting has stopped altogether.
I finally got the binding closed on this wee cot quilt and took it over to Claire for her craft market stall.
I'm also working slowly on topping up the blanket pile on the stall.
The garden of course is taking up some of our free time. I would show some photos, but it is pouring with rain, it has been for nearly 24 hours now. 
Instead I'll show an image of my happy boy. His blanket has arrived safely on the Isle of Man taking only 7 days to get there.
I'm told it's on the bed, the very first layer after a cotton sheet. 
And as I can already attest, he says it's very cosy and warm.
Both he and his lovely lady are delighted with it.
Right, I'm off to do some secret Santa stuff I think, I hope..........
I'm not due at work until 11am.