Saturday 13 February 2010

Catch Up

Hello!  How are you?  How is your weekend going?  I'm taking a few moments out while the house is peaceful (Freya is having a nap upstairs and Hubby has taken the dogs out for a run) to do a "catch up" post.

Where to begin?!!!  Well, I treated myself to a couple of bunches of daffodils this week.  I hardly ever buy fresh flowers, although when I do I wonder why that is.  Look at how gorgeous they look on my kitchen windowsill.....
How about a closer look at the cheerful yellow flowers?

They're keeping my hyacinths company.....

I took this photo a couple of days ago:
The light's not great but the flowers looked wonderful......I've had to cut two of the stems off now as they'd gone brown.  I wonder whether that was what I was meant to do?  Probably not, knowing me!!!

I also bought some blueberries this week as they were on offer.  For some reason I had it in my head that it was Shrove Tuesday so I thought that blueberries would be nice to have on pancakes.  Unfortunately I was a week early so, rather than throwing them away if they didn't last until next Tuesday I thought I'd make blueberry cupcakes..........they're delicious!!!

Lovely with a large mug of tea!

To carry on with my "domesticated" week, I'm also really pleased with my crochet progress.  You may remember that I had been getting myself in a right old state trying to hold the yarn correctly so had got quite frustated and had given up.  I picked up the hook again this week and tried again and, although I still can't quite get to grips with holding the yarn the way I should be and I still occasionally give myself cramp in the hand holding the hook, I actually feel like I've achieved something!!!  Yay me!!  I did a practise of the first square from The Art of Crochet magazine (first issue) and here's the result...
It's not perfect by any means but I'm really pleased.  I'll give it another go later to see if I might be able to improve.  One thing I do find difficult (and I do exactly the same thing when I knit) is trying to get the tension even - my initial stitches and the first row is always tight until I get into the swing of the pattern and as my stitches loosen up I'm able to work the yarn much better and not have to force the hook through the tiniest of gaps!!!  Any advice would be gratefully received.....

I thought I'd finish with a couple of shots of Freya and the dogs.  I can't believe how much confidence Freya gains every day, she really does change on a daily basis.  Her personality is starting to come through now (along with a few temper tantrums!) and she's such a joy to observe.  The poor dogs don't know what's hit them (literally!)


Although Poppy has found her own unique way to get back at Freya......
Gggrrrrrrrrrrr :-(

I hope you have a lovely weekend and I will hopefully catch up with you next week.

xxx

8 comments:

  1. I have a bunch of daffs just like that in a glass jug in my kitchen! They really brighten up the washing up.
    I also have a springer but at 10 years old she is well past the chewy stage!

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  2. Do you know what! I've got my first daffs of the year in a vase in the kitchen. Suddenly, it begins to feel like warmer, sunnier weather is not too far away. Your doggies are lovely! Thanks for your kind wishes..... yes, we are enjoying Oscar very much! Have a good week. I'll be popping back soon to say 'hello'. Ros

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  3. Well done on the crochet - I just can't master it. I do the tension thing with my knitting - takes about 3 or 4 rows till I've got it right.

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  4. The Daffodils look beautiful just what we need to cheer us up with this weather!
    Your square looks good Doris. How did you get on with the telephone call? The people who are taking the calls are a 'shower!'. W. H. Smith is the best place to get the magazines. The Newsagents tell me they have stopped at issue no. 5. now. But I noticed in W.H.Smiths they have two big stands full of magazines.
    I have subscribed they tell me 4,5,6,7, should be with me in two weeks. Have you received any more yet?
    Hugs and Love Sue
    Thanks for stopping by my blog. x

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  5. I love your daffs - they can brighten up a whole room with their sunshiny colour.

    take care,

    Nina x

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  6. Doris, Just to say
    W.H. Smith do a magazine service. You pay an amount up front and they open a 'folder' for you. Where they collect the issues and you get them when you want to. Just a thought if you get fed up with them. I feel exactly the same, not good service at all. They had loads in my local shop today,
    Hugs Suex

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  7. Poor dolly having missing toes. Our bad Pug ate my youngests valentines chocs when we were out today. He also ate the popping candy (would have loved to see the expression on his face when that went off in his mouth). Dogs huh.

    Your crochet looks like it's coming along great. I use a Japanese hook (light and dark brown big handles) they're smaller and ligher so don't hurt your hand at all. Don't worry about how you hold the yarn - just make sure you hold the wiggly end where you started to make sure it doesn't move about all over the place and then your hands will find their own pace.

    Lisa x

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  8. Lovely little lady & cute dogs! In our house it is the Jack Russell that chews things up, not the Springer - she just likes to carry them around. Poor girl can't have any toys as the naughty boy dog chews them up.

    Jayne

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