Monday 26 July 2010

a country mouse gets hooky in attic 24

I've been a follower of the famous Attic 24 blog for some time now and have finally given in to my wish to crochet a granny stripe blanket. I've been wanting to make a really big blanket for ages now, ever since Grandado Mouse swiped the one I made on holiday in Findhorn last year, and have just been waiting to find the right wool. This wool is Lucy's recommendation: Stylecraft Special DK. I'm on row 48 at the moment and am finding it hard to put it down. The colours are so vibrant and the pace at which it grows is very satisfying. It doesn't take much concentration so it's possible to watch lots of Sky Plus-ed Project Runways at the same time. Simple things make me happy!
I'm also being made very happy just now by these beautiful gerberas, brought by a thoughtful friend when she and her wee girl came over recently for a playdate. She also brought some caramel shortcake. I like visitors like that.
I have not yet posted about Little R's 5th birthday, which took place during my prolonged blogging dry spell. She had asked me to make a very particular cake and told me exactly what it should be like - a triple layer cake, lots of cream, one layer with blueberries, one layer with cherries and raspberries, thick chocolate icing and a princess on the top. And five candles. Under the thumb as I am, I duly delivered the goods, and here is the photographic evidence.
Now that my baby is 5 she will be going to primary school in August. I am putting a brave face on it but I know I am going to feel like my right arm has been cut off. I will miss her so much. I'm very glad now that I did blog some of the things we did together during those short pre-school years. The first hurdle is going to be dressing her in BROWN school uniform. I have bought most of it now and my goodness it has not been cheap. While stocking up on little blue polo shirts in Marks and Spencer this afternoon I comforted myself with the purchase of a measuring tape with roses on it and a Mrs Beeton book about making jam. Both were in the sale and so fell within my charity shop levels of price sensitivity. We have a lot of blackcurrants in the garden at the moment and my next project will be to make them into something yummy so I can feel smug when I look at jars of glowing jet black blackcurrant jelly instead of defeated, as I feel when I catch sight of the jars of gooseberry sludge. Maybe I should hide them behind the gerberas.

11 comments:

  1. Your blanket looks lovely and colourful and cosy and I really like your wool basket too.

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  2. Fantastic! I have just ordered the wool too so I will be striping right along with you. Fab little blog and oh my that cake is AMAZING!!! Love your blog ;) xx

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  3. Gorgeous granny stripes! And wow, what a cake!! Thanks for commenting over at my blog :)

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  4. Hi Louise! Thank you for your lovely comment this morning...yes it is lovely to sit and craft with my girlie! You've got all this ahead of you! Love your Granny Stripe! I was going to make one and at the last minute changed to a Ripple, so Granny is still on my 'To Do' list. One day. Lots of love, Amanda xxx

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  5. That blanket is fabulous - and I could definitely do with a slice of that cake! :D

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  6. Lovely photographs and well done with the crocheting and baking. I'm making a chocolate birthday cake later this week (for a very big boy). I'm aiming for 4 layers. Wish me luck!

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  7. I love Attic 24 it is so inspiring!
    The cake looked great and that reminds me I need to make some gooseberry and blackcurrent crumble!........
    love
    Lyn
    xxx

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  8. I remember being in exactly the same place last year, with Littlest. It was okay. Hard to start with, but fine now.

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  9. WOW, now that is a fabulous looking cake!! Just catching up on summer blogs now that the children are back to school - think it'll be another couple of weeks before I get through them all!!
    Vintage Squirrel Katie x

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  10. What a blanket, what a cake. Really, that cake is stupendous.

    Thanks so much for your comment - eldest bounced out this morning - she'd had a great time. I had been rather weepy last night - in fact I'd cried buckets but strangely she was fine. This is one of the things I love about blogging - going through these things together.

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  11. Oh wow, nice blanket! It's in my wishlist of things I want to do :))
    Have a nice day!

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