Sunshine On A Rainy Day?

After days and days of rain..I thought we could use some sun,
........even if it is only in flower form.

I thought I'd share with you the journey of our 2009 sunflower competition.

My pal Penny and her family have had a sunflower growing contest between them all for years..it's become quite serious stuff apparantly.

Anyway, Gavin and I thought we would start our own 'floral rivalry' and scrounged some seeds from the bird food mix.

We started out at the end of April (when the weather was much better than it is now!!!)

2 flower pots each..2 for Lou, 2 for Gavin and of course 2 for Patch (he didn't want to be left out).

Yup, as you can see..Patch likes to get his nose into everything!

After a few weeks the seedlings were transported from the little pots on the window sill to bigger

planters on the patio. We didn't have enough wooden stakes so my plastic knitting needles came in very handy as you can see!

Then a few weeks later..we got some blooms!!! ( and the sun was still shining!!!) They may not have been the tallest sunflowers ever but they certainly cheered me and since this pic was taken we have had ooodles more flowers!

So who won the comp? Who else.....The Mister (I'll win next year..just you wait!!!). He looks pretty smug huh? Grrr...lol. Well done Gavin xxx

Button It!

I wanted to share with you my latest purchase..lovely lovely buttons. I collect wooden Russian nesting dolls so imagine my total glee when I found these beauties on a newly discovered website Textile Garden.

These Matryoshka buttons are amazingly detailed in a pewter finish and worked out at less than 55p each...bargain!

I'm hoping these little ladies will inspire me back to my lace cardi which has slipped into quiet hibernation due to a decrease mishap.

Of course my shopping basket didn't stop there..I must have a thing about buttons because when I see some cute ones I have to buy them.

Like all the unknitted yarn I seem to have..my button stash is forever growing.

Well, at least my button stash is tidy and doesn't take up too much space.

It seemed pointless just to order one set..so here's the others I bought from the same shop. I thoroughly recommend them as overall postage was only 85p!!

Lovely, lovely buttons!!

Hip To be Square?

I have been knitting out in the garden the past few days (when it was cool enough to sit out..what a heat!). Still working on my lace cardi but needed something that required less brain power for my alfresco afternoons. So, yesterday I began knitting squares..yes I know hardly a step forward but these ones are easy and pretty cute. I found the pattern over on Liz's Knitting blog and thought it might be a great stash buster for all the yarn that continously tumbles out my wardrobe.Patch the dog pretending to look like a tiny, innocent little cherub..don't let him fool ya!

The turned corner effect on the squares is cleverly created by knitting 2tog twice in the middle of every second row. I began (as Liz instructed) by casting on 72 sts.

First row: K34, k2tog twice, K34

Every second row: Knit

Third Row:K33, K2 tog twice, K33.....and so on.

I'll keep at this inbetween other knits and maybe Patch will get himself a blanket!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY..to Stateside readers

Fings Wot I Made

Last night I reverted back to childhood and made these yummy marshmallow treats..lucky I took this photo when I did as there is not many left!

As well as the knitting I have also recently tried my hand at card-making after receiving all the basics for my birthday and many generous bits and bobs from fellow Ravelry members.

New Shoes & St.A's

The Mister and I went to St.Andrew's on Wednesday and I got me some funky new shoes from the Superdry shop. I already own a pair of blue Superdry plimsolls but when I saw this tartan version, my patriotic side must of kicked in...I HAD TO HAVE THEM!!

St.Andrew's didn't turn out as sunny as we'ed hoped so we didn't venture to the beach. If you don't like golf and all it entails..it's kind of a boring town to be honest. Famous for it's prestigious university we saw lots of students in their graduation gear and lots of extremely proud looking parents.

I stumbled across knitwear designer Di Gilpin's shop after reading about it on knit site Ravelry. It's a very small yarn shop tucked away through a pend and up some stairs.

Once inside it's like being in someone's front room..with higgildy piggidly piles of yarn everywhere. I made a small purchase for a friend..but manage to resist the temptation of increasing my own stash.

Summer Knitting

Yesterday was a scorcher (for my non-Scottish chums..anything above 20C in these parts is indeed a 'scorcher' aka 'an extremely hot day').


We didn't have any plans which meant "housework or hobbies?"

Needless to say I opted for hobbies and took advantage of the sunshine to do some alfresco knitting.


Here is a picture (albeit, not a very pretty one!) of me trying not to drop any stitches whilst wearing my very dark sunglasses and listening to the new Paolo Nutini album on my I-Pod.


My current knit (I've been doing a few yet haven't taken the time to blog them lately) is in yarn I bought at Perth Wool Show last month. It is an un-labelled double knit (worsted weight) in very subtle variated reds. It's a cheap (yet not nasty) arcrylic which is ideal for my first attempt at the pattern.


I'm knitting a summery cardi for myself. Yes..I'm finally getting round to a garment for myself..hooray.


Fingers crossed it will work out as I'm knitting the biggest size of a children's pattern and I didn't do a swatch (oops). It's also my first go at a lace pattern, a simple yarn forward stitch. So far I am quite pleased that the holes in my knitting are only those that are meant to be there!


The pattern is from the knitting magazine I subscribe to 'Let's Knit'. The patterns can be a bit hit and miss but when I saw this I immediately loved it. It's called Aloha and Hawaii ( one being short sleeved and the other long. I am yet undecided which sleeve option to go for..it depends how bored I get.


Hope everyone else is experiencing some nice weather wherever you may be. xx

Birthday Boy

The Mister had a birthday yesterday! We marked it quietly (well as quiet as it ever gets in our house!) ..just a quick trip to the shops with a necessary stop-off for tea and cakes!! Previous years have been spent Nessie spotting on Loch Ness or picnicing with pigeons at the top of the Eiffel tower. This year Patch was happy we were celebrating at home..as he is always keen to assist in the unwrapping of parcels.
Gavin was very touched by the gift of this gorgeous birthday cake made by our pal Barbara.
The card at the top was made by me to remind him what a handsome fella he is...even if he is getting on a bit..haha. Hope you had a lovely day (which was rounded off by a rather yummy chinese-takeaway!!).