18 months

Its strange but after eighteen months being away from my blog its called to me again.

A lot has happened in the time inbetween, we moved house after only being in our bungalow for three years.  We suddenly lost our beautiful dog Jenny....but after the heartache and vowing never to have another dog for at least a year...the loss and quietness in the house was so unbearable we got ourselves a jet black American cocker spaniel...meet Bella now 16 months old....yes and she does look a bit of a diva and she is.....but a snuggle cuddle sweetheart.

Faux lags?

 I am getting back into my spinning...and whilst waiting for my new wheel to arrive, thought I would have a go at making these so called faux lags..eg ..rolags. In real terms.  I have some gorgeous Shetland which is very open anyway and could be spun with just a little drafting...but I want to do long draw and create woollen yarn.  So I googled and came across this idea which seems to work well...hope the photos are self explanatory. I used a 20mm knitting needle which has made nice sized rolags.

Emma Bridgewater love.....

Love loveEmmaa Bridgewater...am hoping to start a collection of the  toast and marmalade range.....but woo aha! Check out the fabric range called dresser in association with Sanderson...so gorgeous. £50 a metre. Oh the 2nd to last piccy is of our old red kitchen from previous house....hmmm don't think would choose red now, but it was fun at the time, especially the rayburn....ah the memories.

Paper cut delight...

Oh just cannot wait to show you the gorgeous paper cut from Bramble Crafts Havant... my eldest daughter made for me ....it's one of her paper cuts framed....I was delighted when she gave it to me and will look lovely when hung.

We seem to be making each other crafty bits and it's lovely....I recently did her a set of red beige cream coaster and mat and she was delighted too...don't you just love crafts...so comforting and relaxing...well most if the time unless one gets too intense to finish something.  I used to be like that but knowadays it's finished when it's finished.

Also just had to share the dresser, have wanted something like this for years, well I truth have always wanted a larder, but then hubby and I spied this and well the new kitchen extention with breakfast room seems ideal....and I think a bit of bunting hpbehind the doors will look gorgeous eh?

Bramble Crafts.......Facebook and etsy.and a spot of crochet.

Hi,so ok before I tell you about the bunting......you must and you will luuurrrrvvvveeee all that my eldest daughter does and sells in the craft world.  Seriously you will fall in love with her paper cuts, I cannot really explain just go and have a looksee...(I know this is unadulterated advertising)but she's my daughter and hey...her stuffs brilliant,  you will find her in facebook just look for Bramble Crafts Havant, she is also on etsy.   It's strange as she has a love of crafts like me,  chip off the old eh! It thrills me no end that she lives it so, honestly when I occasionally meet up for coffee Cath kidston is a must see...we both oh and ah over everything. But alas it's only occasionally, she has 6 children that keep her busy and even though she's only hour by car, sometimes it feels like 4 hours.  I sometimes wish she lived 10 mins away so could pop and see grandchildren after school etc, and also to spend time crafting with her.  But strange as it seems my other daughter does live 10 mins away and nope don't do the after school visits at all either, children have after school clubs etc and homework and general busy life's all round really ...... and she has no interest in crafting, even though tried to get her attracted to knitting or something.

Life does go at a speed knowadays and maybe  the www is un a way to blame....lol! Says me whilst trying this.  It's so easy to start browsing everything that may interest one the. An hour has disappeared eeek.

Anyways on the crochet front,  have just finished this bunting...it was great fun with the colours.

Ok some attention olease....Bramble Crafts Havant....facebook ....bottom two photos of paper cuts...have fun......ttfn

Easier in theory!

Must admit when hubby and I first started talking of rethinking our existing bungalow kitchen and must admit it started out as a seed that grew and grew until well we decided  to rejigger current layout. So our existing kitchen will be the new dining room which enables us to have the dining table fully extended.  The existing dining  room will become a breakfast room going into new extention.......but as piccys show we  have a long way to go but am so enjoying looking at all the Farrow and Ball. Paint colours.    The throw picture is a throw I made for my daughter for the  bottom of their bed........it was a joy to do in my weaving loom .

Crochet and pretty mugs

Hello, long time no post...but thought would just show some crochet I have been doing.  We are having a kitchen extention so for me it's the interior design and colours.  Hubby and I have decided on a palette of greys and blues...pretty much these cute ornament chair colours and so table mats and placemats will be called for, we are aiming for what is now deemed modern country.  Hopefully there will be room for an island and squeals with delight! Maybe a larder cupboard...but will not know until it's built but in the meantime, crochet callsand the decorating ideas going around in my head.   Oh. And mustn't forget the sweetest cutest mugs that I came across on amazon.......they are called The Caravan Festival trail. And I think there. Are six to collect....they are so colourful and will be a delight to use...but am putting them away until extentions done.a

First scarf done...now next one.

So loving my new found craft, it just takes yarn to a different level.  You find yourself looking at yarn in a new light.  My larger loom has arrived and I am trying to weave a tartan. But heres first scarf,

 

and  the tartan one in progress

and finally, normally cannot manage to get a photo of our lovely dog, she is

generally on the go all the time...but managed this shot and just had to share.

Its here.....

Part one has arrived, you see darling hubby ordered me a smaller loom for use on lap.  So this sweet Ashford Sample It loom has arrived first.....tentatively put it together....tentatively warped it up...tentatively started weaving......so far ok...realized used the wrong yarn toooooooo stretchy, but hubby is looking forward to his first scarf. Hmm, edges are awful but I can only improve I hope. Oh and decided to change blog name back, just didn't feel right...so hello to Happy Yarns again.

 

 

 

Let the excitement begin....

Hello and welcome if you have found your way to my blog and please don't be confused that previous posts are of a different subject.  I tried to start a new blog but somehow blogger wouldn't allow it but anyhow, decided to change direction of my current blog...my new blog is now

BEWEAVE IT!

Ok I had better start at the beginning....I have always been into crafts of mostly all sorts.......knitting/crochet/tapestry/machine embroidery and spinning.  About a year ago I started tentatively looking and wondering about weaving....hmmm! another craft to dip my toe in BUT! at that point I wasn't really hooked that is until my darling hubby asked me "what I would like for my birthday in November.  I ummed and ahhed...then happened one day to land on the weaving page on "Ravelry" for those not in the know it is a worldwide craft community.  Well after much falling in luuuurrrvvveeee and drooling over all the gorgeous woven scarfs and such like, decided to do some more research.  As a complete beginner had no idea what I wanted or really what equipment was required....size costs etc.  I spent about 2 weeks researching, reading....asking questions on the forums that are on Ravelry, received lots of lovely suggestions etc from the lovely people on there.  In the end (well actually I think hubby was getting me tired of hearing me say "Oh I don't know, supposing I get it wrong).....so again more research and then finally decided on a

Ashford 20" Riggid Heddle Loom which was purchased from Wingham Wool Works here in the U.K.  I have about another 5 to 10 ten days before it arrives, I can hardly wait.  There is so much to learn about this craft, I thought learning to spin was enough but this is a totally different animal.  The jargon warps/wefts/setts/heddle....warp dominant/weft dominant/balanced weave...but in all this I just love to create and learn.  So I will post as I go on my experiences, my disasters (and I'm sure there will be many)....with lots of piccys....anyways please pop by again and visit.  Then I should have a couple of piccys up of my loom. I just need a name for her (I know but my spinning wheel has a name Mavis) ....hmmm what to call it.ttfn 






 

Garden is coming along nicely.

Long time no post, been busy sorting bungalow out and mostly done now.  The garden has been quite a chore to get sorted, darn ground elder took hold and apart from planting Mexigan marigolds, or getting hold of geranium endressi Wargrave pink which apparently smothers them we have been "digging for victory"...so to speak....the "bleep" stuff is still there but directly it shows its hold in goes my fork and roots etc be gone but anyway thought I would share some of piccys from garden so far.

Planted these pansies for my darlin "Mum in heaven"...she loved these and this is my special little corner just for her, often go and sit on speak and think and remember her...."love you Mum".

We have a backdrop of trees which are so nice.

The pond has come on really well, hubby had a shock when he started to sort it out as we didn't think there was anything in there, it was so overgrown and then whilst pulling out overgrown vegitation he netted a "carp"...9" I kid you not there were two of them, they had stayed on the bottom all winter long and were still thriving...wonderful. 

In the throws of painting shed such a glorious colour and gate and fencing done to keep our Jenny off garden (don't want yellow patches!)

NEW KITCHEN REVEAL.

This is the kitchen we inherited with our bungalow.  Some 20 years old but would have been workable for a while except that appliances didn't work properly....so set about designing via Ikea website a lovely new kitchen.......ta da!

Ikea stat in off white.......love love love it.

This was the previous oh so dated! 1970 sliding door into the original kitchen..........sooooooooo

we decided to do away with it and have a square arch directly into hallway...

Just the job for breakfast for two.....

Appliances from appliances online....great site, good delivery.  Very strange for me using an electric oven as was so used to my Rayburn before but this has different ways to cook.etc....fan/grill and fan/ top and bottom heating.....everytime I cook I'm having to refer to instructions...

and what kitchen isn't complete without a bit of Cath.

and the kitchen is filled with the sweet scent of hyacinth, even though the heat has pulled them a bit.

 

Anyways a bit of info for those that might be interested......

 

Kitchen Ikea Stat

Tiles Laura Ashley Artisan in pale biscuit colourway

Appliances online

Wenban Smith worktop

 

Am such a happy bunny.......and love the new sink too, but having to be very careful not to drop china into it......hope you enjoyed by show round.......oh! and of course my sweet retro apron made as a present for my birthday by a very clever friend of mine.