Finally finished...YAY!!!

I've recently gone back to knitting. Well, when I say recently, I really mean around April, May this year. I hadn't knitted for years, and forgotten quite a bit, so I've blessed the internet a few times in the last months, it's very helpful when you need reminding how to do something.

So, up to now I've knitted a jacket, a jumper and another jacket. I say knitted, because that's all I've done up until today.

I hate the stitching up part. The first two garments I have made are still sitting there, in a nice pink bag waiting to be stitched and brought to life.

The second jacket, however, is my big achievement so far this month, it has taken me about a month to make, and has definately challenged me just a little along the way. Certainly the most complicated I've made in my entire life, with shaping going on, and rows that had increasing at one end, while de-creasing at the other! And the collar, loads of picking up and stiching...171 stiches in a row! So, today, I thought "don't let it sit there, waiting and waiting, just get it done, finish it, complete what you have started".....so I did just that, and I am proud of my achievement and so very pleased with how it has come out.

What does my little project look like? Here it is in all its glory....

Now all I need is a lovely Autumnal day to wear it, it's a bit warm.

And my next project?

An aran style jacket in lovely pink chunky wool.

I like a challenge!

Learning lots of new stuff!

Well, it's been an age since I blogged, so to make up for lost time, here comes a novel.

At the moment, I'm doing a rather interesting on-line class, www.shimelle.com which is all about learning new things, and it's inspired me to actually show some of my work on-line, so here's a first!

Well, I've learnt lots already this month, how to upload my photos (eventually, after 3 or 4 years, shameful, I know, but my hubby is a computing manager and always does that kind of thing), to look at my city through the eyes of a tourist, to take a deep breath and carry on to list just a few....

So, here is my little album, and the pages for the 2nd and 3rd. I've used 7 Gypsies Market Place papers, which I love, they seemed very Autumnal to me, which I thought would be appropriate for this time of year.

Front and back, both the same, but the insides are different to the outside, if that makes sense.

LESSON LEARNT: my imagination flies higher than I thought.

The picture doesn't really do this justice, the edges and bottom feather is copper embossed, and there are some shiny wings on the word flies.

This lesson was learnt while completing an arty circle journal, themed on colour, and arty is also quite new to me, so I am being stretched in all directions at the moment, which is really good. I was a little nervous of this journal, but I've discovered that my imagination does have wings, and it also knows how to fly.

LESSON LEARNT: on days when I'm really busy and think I'll never fit it all in, THAT'S when I get the most done.

And the story behind this lesson....at short notice I had a few things to do, that would take up a fair bit of my time, and I thought I'd never fit it all in in a million years, but you know what, I DID!! AANNDD got caught up with this book, so I was a happy bunny by the evening.

Lots to do, so much stuff, too little time...

I have been terribly naughty. Over the last few weeks, I have bought some really lovely stash, including alcohol inks, UTEE, die cuts, stamps and other stuff. Thats the good part. The naughty part is that I haven't played with ANY of it yet!! I KNOW! It truly is very naughty of me, and I intend to remedy the situation very quickly.
I do have a few things to sort out for some classes I have to run, and stuff for a class I am already running, so it feels like I'm a bit swamped right now, but in reality, its probably not that bad really.
So, onwards and upwards, as the saying goes.....so much to do, so little time.

Oh the weather outside is....

...really frightful but really beautiful too. This was actually taken last weekend (New Years day I think) and isn't far from my home, when we went out for a walk in the winter wonderland.

However, because of this winter wonderland, I have had an extra week off work this week, all my clients cancelled, so it has been a week of preparing lesson plans and schedules for my new tutoring venture, and doing my accounts for my tax return, I am soooo bad at doing this as I go, maybe it should be my goal for this year to do it as I go. A girl can dream.

Because of all the time I've had off I don't want to start working again now, I like this stay at home all the time thing!

This is Frosty, the newest addition to our family. He was made at the end of our walk, and has been well admired by the children (and some of the young at heart) who pass our home. He did take a while to build, but was well worth it. We decided to change his scarf just in case some mega Newcastle fans put the windows out! A very welcome cup of hot chocolate was cheerfully consumed after this.

So the weather rolls on, it looks like its going to last well into the coming week, so I'll see how much work I manage to get this week, if this goes on much longer, I know I'll want to stay home forever!!