Spreading the word

It's been a while since I last blogged. You know when time just takes over and suddenly you're months down the line and you wonder where they went. I haven't been idling about, it's been a busy few months in the Raindrops house, with 3 children at school, dance shows and exams, girlguiding activities, work stuff and trying to fit family time into that, too. I've rather neglected my blog and I'd like to put that right!

My intention has always been to use this blog to not only share all the stuff I get up to attempting to make my family life work, but also as a platform for my hobbies that I'd really like to turn into my work. I have dabbled for a while with crafting and making as you lovely readers may know. Now I'd like to seriously take it forward and offer up my items for sale. This blog hopefully will show off what I've made, and along the way I will share some of the skills I've learned while honing my crafts. For example I recently learned how to do a Russian join with yarn. A very useful skill if, like me, you hate the thought of weaving in all those ends. A photo tutorial will follow in the coming months!

I've also added an Etsy shop, which you can see here. Have a look! My Facebook page is still going, there's a link to it on the left there. Exciting times ahead I hope!

Here's an example of some of the things I've been putting together recently.

Some rather cute ballet shoe stitch markers (we are a bit dance mad in the Raindrops house!), though I guess there are many other uses for them too!

And an up cycled headband, made from a grown-out-of dress. You can get the pattern here

I have got lots of exciting ideas and plans for the future. Hopefully some of them will bloom, maybe some won't, but the thing is you have to try and reach out for that happiness, don't you? Life is far too short to waste it on what ifs. 

Enjoy your day! 

Til next time. 

Roald Dahl Day!

I'm not sure if you were aware but this week it was Roald Dahl's birthday. It was a biggy too, 100 years. To celebrate there have been a lot of different activities going on around the country. I hope you have been able to take part, especially if you have little people. We haven't been able to attend as much as we wanted to because of that horrid work thing getting in the way. Even so we were able to get to some story telling, and literacy workshops, craft activities and treasure hunts! It has been great fun, and even as an adult I have enjoyed reliving some of the stories I heard and read as a child, and discovering new ones too. I think there are few people who have had the same impact on our young as Roald Dahl has. And his legacy continues, not just in his writing, but in his charitable works as well. If you want to read more about his Marvellous Children's Charity, the website is here.

Most Primary aged children have been celebrating his birthday this week. my children included. I was given the task of coming up with a costume for my eldest to wear, as she had been requested to dress up as a character from one of the books. (As usual I was given about 5 days notice. Why do schools do that??!) At first she wanted to go as Matilda, but quickly changed her mind when she realised it would be a popular choice with the other girls. So we had a chat about it and decided on the Roly Poly Bird from the Twits and the Enormous Crocodile. 

So I set to it armed with offcuts of fabric, craft paper, card, an old pillow case and a few bendy straws. And I was actually quite pleased with my efforts. 

But most importantly, Eldest was happy. And that's what it's about!

Til next time!

Happy (unofficial) Birthday Baby Sis!.

You may remember in my last blog I mentioned my little sister's birthday. If you follow me on Facebook (either personally, or on my page) you may have seen the pictures already. But I just wanted to share it here, too. It is a very special birthday, as my not so little sister (she is bigger than me!) is turning 21 this year. And just like the Queen, she will be having two birthdays, her unofficial one was last weekend, and her real one is in a couple of months. The reason for this was totally practical, as she is away from home at university, and this was the only opportunity we all had to get together.

I wanted a special present, as you can expect, but I was completely flummoxed about what to get her. Then one afternoon I was browsing on Ravelry and I came across a pattern for an Elise shawl. I had seen other people post up pictures of their completed Elises and always thought the pattern was beautiful. I selected some gorgeously squishy yarn in lovely autumnal colours and off I went..
It did take considerably longer that I anticipated. I'm not the fastest hooker in the West anyway, but I found myself with something creative minded people dread. I Lost My Cro-Jo. I don't know why or how but it just went. not good when you have a deadline. Somehow I managed to bring it all round and finished the shawl with a couple of days to spare.

So here it is :

And a closer look at the stitches:

I did enjoy making this on the whole. It is a lovely, rhythmic pattern on a simple two row repeat. If you're a crocheter and want to give it a go, you can find the pattern on Ravelry It is called an Elise Shawl, by Evan Plevinski.(you might note that I have altered the border from the original. I opted not to do the picot border but it is simple to add)

I also made my sister some earrings in similar colours, though I completely forgot to photograph them in my rush to get everything wrapped in time!

That's all for now. I hope you have a great day :)

An accidental find

My #100happydays photo today is a ball of yarn. I came across it accidentally whilst at the haberdashery stall in the market for something else, but somehow I came home with wool and not the sewing needle for leather as intended.... I was too distracted by the fact I'd found some wool in a lovely shade of blue, almost the same colour, and certainly close enough, to match my eldest's new ballet uniform. I completely forgot to ask for the needle (needed to sew elastic on some new ballet pumps...)
I intend to make a headband for Caoimhe to wear for dancing. Which means I will have to dig about in my stash for some pink wool to make a headband to match Tig's pink ballet uniform too.
The joys of being owned by 2 daughters!