Sophie is the Choice.....

Been looking for a new project, either knitting or crochet (yes, living on the edge, that's me!), when I happened upon this blog and immediately fell for the Mandala featured. There's a CAL (crochet-a-long) happening too, for those crafters who might like to join in and also a Ravelry Group which is going from strength-to-strength as more and more people take a shine to Sophie. The pattern is very well-written and extremely easy to follow. The hard part is choosing the colours. I'm hopeless at that so mine is turning out pretty random......

....and some of my stitches are a bit wonky (lots of them to fit in on some rows) as can be seen in this pic but since this is the second one I've started within the week ( I got to Row 32 on the first attempt and hated the colours so much, I completely unravelled it!), I'm sticking with it for now. I may even get to the finish line and turn it into a blanket! We'll see. For the moment, it's nice to have something to concentrate on. 
Have you found anything interesting to be doing to while away the hours?

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Good News from New Zealand. They arrived safe and sound and are now reunited with family and looking positively over-the-moon in the pics that I've seen so far.

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Thank you for all your kind comments - you really are a splendid bunch of special people.

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Hope you have a great weekend.

xxxoooxxx

Swaps and Snowdrops.......

It's been ages since I was involved in a swap so I took the opportunity of signing up to the......

hosted by Tracy and I was lucky enough to be partnered with Jayne who is an expert needlewoman and who very kindly sent me a boxful of lovely things.....

....all wrapped up in pretty red,shiny paper

 and accompanied by a pretty butterfly card with a lovely message inside...

.....felt like my birthday again!

....I don't own any cross-stitchery so this is my first one and she's such a pretty mannequin, don't you think, especially since she's filled with lavender and smells lovely. I've hung her from my dressing table drawer where I will see her everyday....

...then one of the specifications of the swap was to include a handmade item so as well as the pretty piece of cross-stitch which she made,  Jayne also sent me this washcloth which she knitted for me. Isn't it cute? and of course, it's far too good to use so will hang beautifully in my kitchen! I think a close-up is called for........

.....and this sweet-smelling bar of soap was hiding inside...goes beautifully with the washcloth, doesn't it?

....and I wonder how Jayne knew that I just love Gladioli and these bulbs will give me the impetus I need to get going in the garden.........love the colour, don't you?......

......and last but not least, this lovely little collection of treats (the heart-shaped box includes some lovely chocs which I'm just about to demolish) so it just leaves me to say, Thank You so much Jayne for being a very kind and generous 'swappee' (I forgot to take pics of what I sent to Jayne so you might wander over to her blog and take a look) and Thank You to Tracy for hosting this great little swap. 

....and now for the snowdrops......

.....this was supposed to be a video of these lovely snowdrops dancing in the wind. I loved the way they shimmied back and forth but unfortunately, when I uploaded the pics, the video wouldn't work......they still look pretty though, don't they? 

A whole meadowful of Spring (well, almost)

...the crocii don't look too bad either.....

Also want to say a HUGE Thanks to everyone for your kind and considerate comments last time. They really helped to cheer me up.

 My friend and her husband are now in San Francisco, having a great time before they journey on to NZ, eta 4.00pm GMT on Thursday (5.00 am NZ time) and where they will be met by their lovely daughters and 2-year old Grandaughter. I'm very excited for them all.

'Til next time.

xxxXXXxxx

The Last Goodbye.......

......seeing her off at the station was bad enough. The 'phone call from the airport was heart-wrenching.......

Goodbye Old Friend, 'til we meet again.

xxxXXXxxx

Been and Gone..........

.....January, which was full of back-to-back lurgies and infections but also some nice stuff too, like a couple of birthdays.......

...one for me, and one for....

.....a Special Princess....

.......who can now crochet a very large chain! (overnighters with Nana bring their rewards)......

.....and lots of cake (my eldest boy made this Polenta Cake for me and although it looks for all the world like it's burnt (too much lemon juice drizzled on top before he put it in the oven), it tasted lovely, honestly!....

....and my sister made this one, it was equally delicious, especially the thick butter icing...

...tea and cake, a winning combination!

....but the best birthday surprise for me came with the arrival of my BFF from her home in England to spend 10 days with me before she and her husband depart these shores to go and live in New Zealand. Their two daughters and one grandaughter live there and with the imminent arrival of new twin-grandaughters, they've decided to spend their retirement years together with their ever-growing family. In the meantime, we had a fabulous time together and for my birthday, my great friends spirited us away.....

....(in great style, we didn't need our Senior Railcards this time!)

....past The Kelpies....

.....and some really huge wind turbines....

....The Wallace Monument....

...and Stirling Castle.... to Dunblane Hydro

 (Dunblane being very much in the news at the moment with the announcement of Andy Murray's wedding to be held in his very plush hotel, also in Dunblane). 

 .....where my fabulous friends even arranged for a bottle of Prosecco to be delivered to the room by a handsome waiter!

 .....lots of empty glasses - how did that happen??!.....

 ......the most delicious Banoffee Pie with Rum and Raisin ice cream in a filo parcel!!Can't tell you how delicious it was!

We all had a marvellous weekend and I was thoroughly spoiled rotten for my birthday.

....so now it's time for a rest, grab a pew and I'll be back soon.