WIP and Nancy

I would like to introduce you to......Nancy. She came wrapped in pretty pink tissue paper, inside a pretty pink envelope.

She is dainty and delicate and ever so sweet.


Who could not love a face like hers?


Has anyone else bought one of these lovelies, if not why not? They are available on and off from here.

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Now then as regards WIP's...there has been a flurry of activity in the Fairyglade over the past few days. With Easter fast approaching and several people to treat to goodies, I have made a concerted effort to get into gear and make a start on some gifts.

What do you think of these pretties? Aren't they cute..?

Now rabbits are a big favourite in this house and these tiny little creatures are almost certain not to get past the front door if the littlest fairy has anything to do with it. So between you and me, there are a couple of others in the making, in secret.

It was the strangest thing actually. I had first seen them on here, and there was much oohing and aahing and holding of breath at the promise of a forthcoming tutorial..with me so far? Well, whilst waiting, I had occassion to pick up my hook to make another granny square. I made the central wheel as I call it and then went in to make my first corner. The first 3 double crochets were made and then....looking closely...holding my breath, what should I see but the beginnings of a small purple bunny head and body...uncanny! I waited until the tutorial was posted, and hey presto, similar instructions...same result. These little ones are still waiting a nose, I have run out of brown beads, but aren't they just the cutest, cutest, cute things!

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With bags being my "one weakness", I decided to have ago at making one in this really pretty cotton which was originally a child's summer dress. The polka dot lining was another dress. I picked them both up at the local jumble sale for the princely sum of 40p.

I still have a way to go yet, but I think it will be just right as a small sewing bag for scissors, needles and pins etc.

And lastly, I couldn't go without showing you my Granny quilt. This too, still has a way to go, but it is coming along nicely, and it is one of those things that is so easy to come back too as and when. I am loving the colours.

Dev X

The Letter D

Hi there saw this on Sian's blog and thought it was a bit of fun to do whilst sipping your morning coffee.

Rules: Use the first letter of your name to answer each question. They have to be real places, names etc. Try to use different answers if you have the same initial as someone who has already done this. You cannot use you own name for the boy/girl question.

1. What is your name? Devina

2. A four letter word? Dewy

3. A boy's name? David

4. A girl's name? Dawn

5. An occupation? Dentist

6. A colour? Dusky pink

7. Something you wear? Dress

8. A beverage? Drambuie

9. A food? Doughnuts

10. Something found in the bathroom? Damp towels

11. A place? Dover

12. Something you shout? "Dinner's ready"

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Easter is on it's way, twigs are being gathered, chicks are appearing, rabbits are multiplying and eggy decorations are being dusted off. But more about that another day soon.

Dev X

So frustrating!

I was so excited when my parcel from Amazon arrived a couple of days ago. I have gone crochet flower mad and couldn't resist these lovely books.

So full of pretty designs that I couldn't decide which one to start first. I did the usual eeny, meeny, miney mo and came up with the gorgeous daffodil.

It must be fate I thought, what with spring supposedly round the corner...not! Freezing cold here the past few days. Undeterred, I gathered my wool, my hook and a photocopy of my chosen design, suitably enlarged cos my eyesight is not what it was. The atmosphere was calm with a little bubble of excitement as I broke the seal on my new ball of Rowan yarn and picked up my new hook. I read the instructions and then read them again. The first couple of rounds were okay, but then I came across things I didn't understand. A feeling of dejection started to creep in, I felt the silly grin slip, the sense of euphoria evaporating.

I turned a few pages, " I know", all is not lost, I will try something else. I turned the pages and found the pansy...gorgeous I thought. I read the instructions....and read them again. I turned a few more pages and....oh dear. By now I am loosing the will to live!!

Now you may remember that I am self taught, and those early heady days were long ago. The memory has faded, I seem unable to deduce from the pictures what to do. My confidence flounders and that is that. I put it all away again and sulk for the rest of the day. I look at all the woolly blogs and feel total frustration.

Today I logged on and found myself a tutor. I have booked a lesson...I am counting the days....I have had to borrow some of next years leave....I don't care....I just want to crochet flowers, I cannot help myself..My name is Devina and I am addicted to crocheted flowers..!!!!

Dev X

Did the earth move for you too!!

Well it has been a strange sort of week so far. On Tuesday we were hit by our second earthquake in as many years. This one measure 2.8 on the Richter Scale. I was sat in my office minding my own business and suddenly felt and heard a deep rumble right beneath my feet..very disconcerting I have to say. When the previous one struck back in 2007, I remember grabbing the sink as the whole house shook.

Today was equally as odd. I drew back the curtains to find more of the white stuff...now where on earth did that come from? It hadn't been forecast that's for sure. We had about a centimetre I suppose and it was already melting when I got up but what a beautiful morning it was. The sky the colour of cornflowers, large white puffy clouds like powder puffs. The air crisp and fresh, nose tingling in fact...making me sneeze.

The pots on the patio had their individual little white frozen blankets of snow.

Where last weekend the flowers bobbed about in the soft warm sunshine, this morning they hung their heads and shrank back against the frozen soil.

For a couple of hours though it was beautiful, the sun reflecting through the melting ice drops, casting rainbow colours everywhere, and then it was all gone again. The spring flowers lifted their heads towards the light and it was if it had never been. A fleeting moment in time...

Friendship and dishcloths!

Isabel has her friend staying for a sleepover this weekend. I watched them play in the garden earlier. It was freezing I have to say, but they seemed oblivious to it as they ran around screaming and laughing. They asked if I could take them to the park for a while. I looked at the leaden sky, felt the temperature outside, told them NO and then felt selfish for doing so. I relented, wrapped myself up like the michelin man and grabbed a book. They joined hands and skipped along in front of me all the way down the lane to the park on the green. They were chattering away, pointing out the flowers in the hedgerow, happy and carefree as 10 year old girls should be. I'm glad that we went.

I have discovered the crochet dishcloth..yes you heard. And why not I ask? something as mundane as a dishcloth can be pretty as well as practical. I love making them. This is an easy pattern to make up and grows quickly too.

Most of my friends think that I am crazy, and I have to say that it is wearing a bit thin now. "Why would you want to waste time making a dishcloth?" I was asked. They just don't get how nice it is to be able to create things myself. They don't get the pleasure that comes with finishing the last stitch, weaving in the loose threads and snipping the ends. They don't get the satisfaction I feel when I look around me and see the things that I have made. What I don't get is why they don't give it a go themselves before they roll their eyes up at me.

So is it just me, am I going a bit barmy...what do you think?

Dev XX

Things that make me happy!

Things that make me happy include:

The warm sun on my back whilst planting the tubs and pots with some spring colour.

The beautiful primulas sat in pots in my kitchen.

This beautiful and unexpected visitor which was warming itself in the morning sun, the fact that it needed to do this probably meant that we were able to handle it so easily.

Listening to the doves cooing outside the window whilst having my breakfast.

My new granny square.

And then there is the sad things in life, like Mel, who has received an unpleasant email from someone out there who should know better. Sadly, though I don't always leave a comment, I do visit each day to see what she is up too. Her friendly disposition always put a smile on my face, that and her love of CK.

Why do people have to be so unpleasant, it is beyond me. Of course we don't all have to like and do the same things, we don't have to agree on everything, we don't all have to share the same ideals and morals. But we should live and let live. That's what makes blogland such a special place I think. We are all different with diverse lives, expectations and beliefs that we should be able to share with everyone regardless and without prejudice.

Phew, glad to get that off my chest, I may have rambled a bit for which I apologise, but really, what is the world coming to!

Dev X

Granny Squares..don't you just luv em!

I couldn't believe it when I opened the curtains this morning and saw a fresh fall of the white stuff. Now don't get me wrong, I love it..I mean it, I love it, but somehow this morning it just didn't have the desired affect. The thought of scraping the windscreen yet again and the bone crunching cold on the drive to work before the heater kicks in was not a pleasant one. I have the sort of heater that warms up around the time that I pull into the car park at work, you know the sort I mean, unless of course you drive a real swanky vehicle..I wish!

I really hate being cold, the dog hates being cold and the doves hate being cold. The witch hazel hates the cold. It is in full bloom at the moment and the smell that eminates from it can only be described as divine!

Today is my half day at work which only makes it worse. I have to dress like the mitchelin man, walk down the path without breaking a leg on the ice, defrost said car, and shiver all the way to the office for 4 hours work and then do it all in reverse to come home...even deeper sigh!

However, from then on in things do get better because I am in the throes of a crochet epidemic. I cannot help myself, my fingers are so itchy to pick up that little hooky thing, to delve into my bag and pull out delicious coloured, soft balls of DK. I have made three garlands so far, each cooed about and admired a great deal by their owners.

And then there is the granny square, is there anything so perfect as a granny square.

Here at the fairyglade, as I say, the weather has been foul for eons now. The littlest fairy has to travel in previously mentioned car and she has a lot less stamina than myself. And so a granny quilt is born...well nearly. I decided that a car blanket was just the ticket for surviving the cold snap.

It goes without saying that the colour scheme would have to be of the pinky/purple variety. Littlest Fairy catergorically stated that this must be the case, which is just as well really when I plundered my wool stash, because that is mostly what I have. A snuggly piece of pale pink fleece will be used to back the finished blanket and then she will be as snug as a bug.

I had forgotten just how theraputic crochet can be and how quickly it comes together. For an impatient crafter like myself, this is a good thing because it almost guarantees completion. I would like to thank Lucy over at the Attic for inspiring me, though man person not so impressed as house getting like a tip and he can't find any clean socks!

Dev X