Crochet..................

.............is very addictive!!!! I had forgotten how addictive actually, its all the fault of Lace Hearts and (because I have just found her blog) Attic24 as well as quite a few of the girls on the Shabby Chic forum!!! I found the pattern for the flowers on Attic24s blog, had a practise on some old (bright green) wool then went shopping for more lovely yarn to make more which I turned into bunting of a sort for my mantlepiece, I think they look quite pretty there.

I have also done one granny square (so far) for a blanket I want for the sofa and a cushion cover, well the front of a cushion cover really which is like a giant granny square.


I had a bash at making a three layered flower too, using the pattern from Attic24 again but adding to it, I am pleased with how it has turned out and may make more as corsages or just to pop around the place looking pretty. The next crochet thingy I want to have a go at is the ripple stitch but as yet I haven't found a pattern/tutorial that I understand.

Sorry the photo quality is a bit pants in that last pic!!!

mmmmm, now onto Februarys Grocery Challenge, well, I overspent by over £30, but never mind, I am back on track and hope that this month I can be good and only spend my budget, I suppose though, in all fairness (does that sound like and excuse???) I did buy loads of meat from the butcher and made up a good few meals for the freezer so some of that could really be carried over to this month (mm it is an excuse really).

thanks for stopping by

Trish xxx

Sewing again

I have started to feel a little more crafty recently (hoooraaahhhh) this morning I have made a patchwork cushion cover using This tutorial as also seen on Lace Hearts and I love it I will admit to buying some red fabrics to boost up my limited supply of reds to make this, but I am sure they will come in handy for other things too.

It looks very pretty on my sofa. I also stitched some fabric samples onto a plain canvas shopping bag, it has been sitting (pinned) in a drawer for months and I found it this morning while sorting out the fabric for the cushion cover, so thats another UFO finished.

I am so happy to be making stuff again, finishing off the greenhouse and digging our new veg patch may have had something to do with my need to be creative too.

I keep forgetting to update on how I am doing with the grocery challenge, well January we came in under budget by about £38, but this month we may be slightly over our £310 budget as we have already spent £261 and have a week to go, but we will see.

Trish xxx

Cub Scout

William started cubs just before Christmas and was invested a couple of weeks ago and we all went to see it, I was so proud of him, he stood tall and spoke his promise loud and clear. Sorry about the blurriness in the last pic.

Well, today its blowing a hooley out there so I think it may jusy have to be a pyjama day, I really don't feel like going out in that. I may try my hand at one of the patchwork cushions that Lace Hearts has made, the original tutorial is here, it looks fairly easy and fun to do and as I have an entire drawer full of scraps of pretty fabric I should be able to make at least one if not more.

In November I started to do the Grocery Shopping Challenge on the Shabby Chic forum and was pleased that I came in £10 under my budget of £350 for the month, December fell by the wayside somewhat, but this month I have done it again and looks like I am back on track and at least £20 under my new budget of £340 as I have been making more 'freezer' foods and stretching food out more by adding more veg and not buying so many ready foods like pizzas. Fingers crossed I can keep it up, its amazing when you start writing down all your receipt totals to see how much you have actually spent (eye opening too).

Right, thats it for today

Trish xxx

Gorgeous Shabby Chic Swap

The theme for the October swap on the Shabby Chic forum was 'PINK' and the lovely Viv sent me a fabby gorgeous parcel of goodies, sorry about the photo quality but had to take it indoors and couldn't seem to get the light right.

I got a lovely pink apron, love pinnies, I have 3 full ones and 2 half ones now, a beautifully smelly candle and a notebook and funky pink pencil too, I think Grace might pinch the pencil mind!!! Thank you again Viv xxx

I am using the notebook to write down all my grocery expenditure (blimey thats a big old word for me this week) for each month starting with this month. We are doing a monthly grocery challenge over on Shabby Chic, I have given myself a target of £350 this month and am writing each total down as I come back from shopping and breaking it down into weeks too, so far the total is just over £30, I am hoping that this will make me realise how much I actually spend on crap each month and be able to keep within a decent budget because, to be totally honest I have no idea how much I spend on food, I just spend it!!! shocking really!!!

I have started a new job this week too, I have at least 3 months work at a local school as a relief midday supervisor, am enjoying it so far, the girls I work with are as mad as hatters (I am fitting in quite well) and good fun, I am just finding it hard to fit everything in I want/need to do. My evenings are filled with knitting dishcloths, making jewellery and Christmas decorations ready for 2 craft fairs I have coming up soon, the time seesm to have crept up on me, but it is relaxing.

Thanks for stopping by

Trish xxx