10 days til Showtime

Sorry folks, keep meaning to update my blog..just never seem to get round to it. So many distractions...knitting, Ravelry, Facebook..oh then of course there is 'real life' and our wedding. Yes, unbelievably it's only 10 days until Gavin & I tie the knot..time has flown by. Thankfully we are pretty organised so not too much to worry about...just a few butterflies..lol. I pick my dress up this Friday. I have completed my wedding knitty projects. All is good. Well almost..The Mister has been suffering some pretty serious eye problems and has been diagnosed with Reoccurring Corneal Erosion causing him quite a bit of discomfort and a few trips to the eye clinic. Wedding eyepatch jokes have been made (poor lamb).

Wedding Prep

So, wedding plans are going well so far. Our date is 23rd April .. is now only an unbelievable 13 weeks away. The Mister and I have been together 10 years (how time flies!) and had talked about 'making it legal' for some time now..AND NOW WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING IT!!!

I didn't think I'd be nervous but must admit there are a few butterflies fluttering but it's more excitement than anything. "Our big day"..how strange it sounds.

The ceremony and reception are to be held in a local hotel where it has to be said, is impeccably clean with that old fashioned 'good service' (which seems to have become a rarity).

Hotel booked, celebrate booked, music booked, seat covers booked, invites out, rings bought, outfits in motion, photos arranged, flowers and cake still to be confirmed. I think we are doing okay!

I'm planning to be a proper little bride all dressed in white (yes white!!) and Gavin will be cutting a dash in a contempary kilt.

Hoping to get some yarny goodness in the mix somewhere too...obviously.

Goodbye 2010...

...Hello 2011!!!

Yes, it's taken me longer than expected to get back on the blogging bus but I'm here now and intend to make it a long haul journey so if you wanna come along for the ride that is my simple little life, you are most welcome.

New year, new start? I was hoping so...last year was punctuated with so health ups and downs I never felt like I had a clear run at anything. Needless to say spirits got low from time to time from sheer frustration and cabin fever but you just have to get on with it and be thankful for what you have.

I'm thankful for :

• The love of my Mister..he can be a grouchy sod but has a heart as big as a house and has stuck with me despite my health issues and ever growing yarn obsession. So this year after 10 years together we have finally decided to make it legal and tie the knot. I'll keep all the details for an extra girlie bridezilla post in a day or so.
• A roof over my bed, food in my belly and a cosy little loyal dog by my side.
• The health I have may not be great but whilst I can still, walk, talk and knit I consider myself pretty well off. As a UK resident I am fortunate to benefit from free health care and whilst many complain about they NHS system I am very grateful for what it does for me.

Key words for 2011 are: motivation, positivity and optimism.

Goodbye September

Goodbye September..sorry I missed out on a blog post!

By now you probably think I have dropped of the face of the earth...but don't despair.
My lazyitis has just flared up...though I have been occupied by one or two things inbetween.

Exciting news though...the Mister & I have set our wedding date!!! I am to be an April bride!!
Promise I will divulge more soon.

Right now I am waiting on a delivery of fish & chips ..yum yum!

Knit Camp Part 3..Purchases

Okay it's about time I finally showed you my purchases from Knit Camp. I was amazed how restrained I actually was considering the great wares on offer. I attended the Marketplace on the Friday and Saturday..I felt like a kid at Christmas! Saying that would you believe it if I told you I actually came home with money in my purse? Seems crazy now. I think perhaps I was overwhelmed having never been to an event of this size before and seen (and stroked) so many lovely yarns.

My first yarn buy was a neutral grey skein ('Blizzard') from Easyknits. Its 100% Blue Faced Leicester wool. I tried resist bright colours and buy a shade that would go with some things in my wardrobe. However, some pretty rainbow Knit Col by Adrafil soon caught my eye and begged to be bought (..and so it was done).

Next I stopped at Shetland Lace & Fair Isle supremo Liz Lovick's stall and picked up these cute stitchmarkers made by the lady herself.

After much deliberating at the Lomond Tapestry Centre stand I opted for their Angel yarn by France De Bergere. The ladies were very patient with my indecisiveness and also gave me a free pattern for a tunic top using this yarn after I cooed over the sample knit on display.

I gasped with glee when I caught sight of the Textile Garden stall..lots and lots of pretty buttons in every shape, size, material you could imagine. This is one of my favourite online shops that I recommend to friends and will continue to do so. This time I opted for wooden Scottie dogs..big & small.

My big purchase was Knit Pro interchangeable needles from Scottish Fibres. I knew these sets came in Acrylic tips but was bowled over by a rainbow colorway (once again). Having bought these I left feeling like a 'proper grown-up knitter'.

So, that's most of it (I think there's maybe a few odds & ends still lurking in my bag I may have forgotten about..hmm, I wonder?).

Knit Camp Part 2

Okay I've been back from Knit Camp for over a week and I still haven't completed my blog posts about the event..oops! Well, here I am so if you are still interested let me share with you some more.

One of the nicest things to happen to me at Knit Camp was the opportunity to meet a fellow blogger. I have been following Alex's blog for a couple of years and enjoy reading about her life in the Netherlands. Alex is very sweet lady who I would have like to have talked to longer (or let her get a word in edgeways..I fear I 'blethered' too much..lol). I was very glad to learn she enjoyed her trip to Scotland and plans to return. I hope one day to get myself back to Amsterdam (previously a favourite holiday destination of mine) and perhaps pop in to their Monday night S'n'B.

The University campus where Knit Camp was held sits on the edge of a small town called Bridge of Allan. I didn't get the chance to stroll around, but I was fortunate enough to visit the absolutely amazing Allan Water Cafe. A sit-in chippy I had the most scrumptious haddock and chips I have ever tasted! (Cecelia this picture is especially for you!)

Followed by delicious strawberry ice cream (they had so many flavours!)

Enough about food (I'm just making myself hungry!). Back to Knit Camp and something to make the yarn lovers amongst you drool..the Marketplace

Despite some vendors pulling out before the event (understandably perhaps due to mixed messages on organisation) the Marketplace was bountiful. A great selection of stalls with the most beautiful goodies..making it very hard to choose just what to buy (sigh).

I've gone on enough for now so please be patient with me and in my next post I shall share with you just what I spent my kudos on (and some of my favourite vendors!)

KNIT CAMP...part 1

I now have something to blog about..hooray! Last night I returned home from the UK's very first Knit Camp. Now for those of you who don't know let me fill you in a little...

Knitters came from all over the world to this week long event held in Stirling University's very picturesque campus (it really was a stunning location even to a native Scot). Classes were run teaching various knitting techniques and were led by some of the biggest names in international knitting circles.

However, not long before the actual event things came across somewhat chaotic. Many tutors flying in from the U.S learnt their work permits were not yet in place causing more than a few problems. Things eventually fell into place..tutors arrived and some classes rearranged. Despite a backlash on Ravelry (worldwide knitting forum) everyone on camp seemed really happy and pleased to be there.

As I was only staying for two nights I opted to stay in the Stirling Management Centre (a little more comfortable than the halls of residence so I'm told by fellow campers). At breakfast I was lucky enough to have the company of many of the tutors who all seemed to know each other but were very welcoming to this wee Scottish lady (who barely knows her combination knitting from her continental!). Norah Gaughan and Annie Modesitt shared their discovery of 'haggis dogs' which I'm glad to say I've never tasted (a variation on hot dogs I presume?).

On my first afternoon I attended Jared Flood's Koolhaas hat class (a pattern which I have owned for a while yet could not make head nor tail of!). Jared is an excellent teacher and very patient. He took the time to show the stitch technique to each one of us individually (it was a class of 12) and repeated the process if we didn't get it the first time (guilty). I was very nervous as I'm not a very ambitious knitter but I was there to learn and glad to report that I left with new skills.

I can now cable without a cable needle and follow a simple chart. I am also confident I can now complete the pattern...result!

Part 2...lovely people and pretty purchases