Actually, not One Skein...

I felt the need to crochet or knit something for myself, just a quick project because I was desperate to use this yarn. I bought it in John Lewis Oxford Street a couple of weeks ago.




I had a browse through Ravelry and hit on a pattern that by luck I happened to have and in one of my favourite books. The great thing about Ravelry is that you can find patterns made up in different yarns to that stated in the pattern with amazing results. The scarf in the book was (to me) totally uninspiring and more of a short cravat-type affair. I needed a longer, softer scarf so I used 2 balls instead of 1.




The thing I love about crochet is that with just a few basic stitches used in different combinations you come up with such wonderful patterns. Added together with the most gorgeous multi-coloured yarn and what's not to love?





This scarf hardly took any time to make and was perfect for biding a couple of dark evenings away with a big hook in hand.





It looks so lovely on my weathered garden furniture don't you think?




And goes perfectly with a dress I bought on aforementioned shopping trip!

Scarves are going to be accessory of the season for me as I am going into hospital on Friday (the 13th...I know...don't even go there...) to have a hemi-thyroidectomy which will leave a scar on my neck which I will be doing my best to conceal until it becomes less noticeable. Hopefully, I will be able to come home on Saturday with half a thyroid gland that I am hoping will be able to manage my thyroid hormone production without the need to take a replacement.

It will be my first time in hospital as a patient (other than having the boys) and I am a tad nervous about the anaesthetic as I've never had a general either. For the best part of this year I have been up and down to an endocrinologist about a cyst that has grown in my throat. I had it biopsied (it was benign) and aspirated twice but it is persistently reforming so surgery is my last resort.

Luckily, there is a coffee shop round the corner that I can send my visitors out for a gingerbread latte while I'm lording it up in bed... I am dying for a cup of coffee as I'm off it this week while I'm taking some arnica to help with bruising. I didn't ever consider myself hooked on caffeine but it may be true. Roll on Saturday!

Out to lunch...

I'm off out for lunch to my parents.

They are in the process of moving house so the stress level is tangible.

Hopefully apple and blackberry pie will comfort everyone.

Personally, I cant' wait for a rock bun for tea.

Although I know that my sister prefers banana loaf.

I've had a busy morning! There is also a bag of parsnips and sweet potatoes from my box to roast...

Out with the old...

It felt almost criminal to pull up my pink geraniums while they still had a few flowers brightening up my deck, but I had bulbs to plant as a priority this year having not got round to it last autumn and regretting it this spring.

As you can see the geraniums I kept inside are still flowering - who knows, maybe I can keep them going until next year.

There is still an abundance of dahlias at my local nursery for the picking and these ones looked like they were enjoying this November morning sun.

It's all looking pink in my conservatory with these lilies too...

Unintentionally, I have managed to keep the colour scheme consistent for the coming spring!

I planted 2 varieties of tulips in the planters to string out the flowering period a bit and made a hasty exit from the garden centre when I was only charged £8 for £24-worth of bulbs!

Once they were in, I put some festive looking (sorry!) white pansies and red cyclamen on top for a bit of instant colour.

I love the variegated leaves of cyclamen. These pink ones are for one more tub just outside my back door and that's my lot now til next year. Well, apart from a bit of general tidying up...

I'm glad...

...that in spite of the rain and greyness that is today...

...and that I am administering medicines every couple of hours or so...

...AND that I have run out of stuffing for my crochet project...

...that I have a little bowl of necessities...

...for doing some relaxing hand-quilting...

...did I mention that I love it?

Time travel...

It feels like I have travelled through time because the last week has disappeared as though in the blink of an eye. As though with a click of my fingers, half term vanished. It has left me with a poorly boy in bed coughing for England. Possibly some nasty bug or more likely from too many late nights from the sleepover marathon that took place over the holiday. Last Sunday, it was my turn for 6 boys (don't ask...) to 'sleep' in the living room - PS3, popcorn and nachos to hand. I decided to camp in the spare room as my bedroom is above the living room - a very wise move!

Of course, the plus side (if you can call it that) is that No2 was dispatched off to various other houses for most of the remaining nights only to come home last night looking slightly worse for wear.

It meant that I had time to carry on with my creative pursuits. A trip to Dorking to buy batting and thread with my friend and her mum included a delicious lunch and cake and coffee.




Another trip into town to buy ribbon for the finishing touch to my mystery gift.

Yes - a pink bunny it is! The soya beans weigh it down so nicely. I put some in the bottom of the body and in the feet

I used scraps from Jasmine's quilt to jazz it up a bit on the ears, feet and hands. While I was making this toy I really wasn't sure I was going to like it as I have become so used to crocheting amigurumi style and this seemed old-fashioned, but now it's finished I do rather like it and so feel happy to give it as a gift.

Full of beans...

It's been another productive week but I have come to a bit of a standstill on the quilting front because the batting I ordered from here is out of stock. So I have not one but TWO quilt fronts and backs waiting to be hand-quilted now. They are sitting patiently in my workroom.

So, it has given me a chance to play hooky again and finish off making a little something for Jasmine to go with her quilt. It's not quite finished but I will tease you with a few snippets in the meantime:

They are the perfect weight and size, but I'm not eating them.

I tried a brad and embroidery but then settled for a button.

Then I made a fluffy pompom.

I've rummaged through the scraps from the quilt and have used some fusible interfacing for the finishing touches which just need to be sewn on...

I'm loving it...

Back in July I took Ali up on her offer of a free recipe book if I signed up with Abel & Cole for a weekly vegetable box delivery. It was something I'd been meaning to do for months as I regularly had a flier dropped through my letter box.


So every Friday I am in raptures about a mixed organic fruit and veg box being delivered by a big yellow van. It is the perfect size for us and I am loving the variety of vegetables I now eat on a weekly basis instead of being stuck in the carrot rut I found myself in before. I'm hoping it will slowly encourage No2 to become more adventurous with his diet!

The great thing about it for me is having to think of ways that I wouldn't usually cook or use the fruit or vegetables. For example, we are not big orange eaters so I have been juicing them and using them in smoothies instead.



As the produce is always seasonal we have had several varieties of squash and pumpkin. I had some friends over for lunch earlier in the week and made a squash soup from the recipe that came with last week's box. I always use my melon baller for getting all the flesh out of squashes and pumpkins - I don't think I've ever used it on a melon! It's so easy, just cut the pumpkin (or squash) in half, remove the seeds and scoop out all that lovely orange flesh.

To go with the soup I made some soda bread from my new favourite recipe book. It is the easiest recipe EVER!!! Ridiculously easy.

And look - it looks like soda bread!

Abel & Cole are doing another promotion and so if you'd like the recipe book do leave a comment and I'll tell you the secret! Oh, I get £10 to spend there too, so no pressure...!