Gadgets

I was asked the other day what kind of gadgets I use/like when I am crafting. It is an interesting question because I so rarely isolate what I use in those terms. They are not gadgets, they are tools and very often they are cobbled together as and when I need them.

Spinning - I use no gadgets. Except a ball winder, very useful for the centre pull ball that is so hard to achieve any other way.I have to travel to the Guild for that though as I do not posess one, and they are rather expensive really. I have read that you can do the same with a nostepinne (cheaper by far) but I don't have one of those.

Felting - love dry felting and needles are always in demand as I break them so often. Especially the fine ones which are what I use most frequently.

Knitting - I made myself some stitch markers ( and Nicole sent me some beauties) so I always use them. There is something about these cute little beady things that makes them collectable isn't it? A row counter would also come in handy :)

Crochet - I like Surina wooden crochet hooks. I have the very chunky ones but none in the finer guages. I have metal for that but there is something so pleasing about the feel of the wood. Silky almost.

Angelina Fibre - not a gadget but such a treat to have in the work basket and a little goes a very long way indeed.

I like all kinds of sheepy stuff, dragons, lions, cats, hedgehogs. And that is all I can think of at this time of night. I'm off to bed right now :)

Nos da Cariad

Ouch!

Do you see the vertiginous heels I was wearing when I was dressed up as Audrey? Three and a half inches at least. Well, I wore them on Saturday too to a hen night. I danced a little bit and today I cannot move. I managed to wrench a tendon down my right leg and I am stuffed for running, dancing and even spinning. Rats :(

So I am sittin' and knittin' and not much else. I have to rest as I am dancing on Friday at Martyn's out reach meeting and I may be dancing as part of the streetwork going on on Saturday. And if I dance on a wrenched hip I am looking at serious trouble.

The kidlings have torn upstairs apart and I don't care 'cos I can't see it. At least until tonight when I haul my sorry carcass upstairs and pass out in horror at the mayhem.

No spinning for the rest of the week! How will I live?

The good news is that V has rented Happy Feet for us to watch. At least somebody will dance today.

Waiting

Took a friend to casualty today. She dropped a monitor on her foot, as you do, and needed to check out the swelling. They got her through triage very quickly. It was the x ray that took the time. Equipped with my knitting I didn't mind but I had forgotten how bleak waiting rooms are. There were no magazines and the TV had a cage over it, something I had never seen before.

There were the leftovers of a hard Saturday night in Swansea. Three truly massive men, bar room brawlers or doormen, hard to tell really and one of them had been glassed in the face. Crikey I thought, could you imagine the size of the bloke that would glass the likes of him?
Apparently though it was a woman that had attacked him and his mates were laughing at him like a pair of school girls. They thought it was hilarious. They sobered up a bit when they had to phone his mum but they were back to the giggles soon after. He took it good spirit considering his lip was in half.

I sat there with my knitting (Cobweb, yes still) and thought about how I had wanted to be a nurse when I was a young woman. Not on your life would I do the job now.

My friend was fine, just bruised. But due, we think, to the litigious society in which we now live, the doctor, despite all his many years of training would not confirm that the bone was not broken. Rest and painkillers were prescribed. If it gets worse, come back.

So no bones broken and I got two humungus rows of cobweb done. Good news all round, except for that poor brawler who got seven stitches and a flea in his ear from a tired staff nurse.

Farewell Party

Last night we sent to Todd and Steph's farewell party. They are off for a year back to the US to raise support for their work here. They are both close friends of ours and will leave a huge gap in our lives. I could get quite down if I think about it too much, so to liven us up and to say goodbye in style, Sara organised a Hollywood themed party.
Any chance we get in Church on the Move to dress up is pounced on with glee. V went as a character from the Matrix and he looked pretty good. There was an Indiana Jones complete with muddy shoes and a whip! I was very impressed. There was a Betty Boop, a Dolly Parton, a few Reservoir Dogs - looking quite alarming for such delightful young men - there was an Austin Powers - very scary, Jessica Rabbit and Steven Spielberg to name a few. And I, in a fit of nerve, went as Audrey Hepburn. Nothing like aiming high!


So on with the LBD, cigarette holder, long black evening gloves, pearls and some truly funky earrings. I darkened my hair and away to go. I think any woman in her thirties hits the spot with that look and I was pretty pleased with the effect.

Today I am off to St Annes Church to have a look at the Hobbies and Passtime exhibition. They are raising funds so might as well hand over a few bob to keep the old place going. It is a beautiful church and a landmark in the village where I grew up. I thought about taking the wheel to show. I might, might not.

Friday Five

1. Tea or coffee?
Depends on the time of day. First thing, breakfast and elevenses need fresh coffee. All other times require tea. Especially after meals and any other time I need a cup. I am a tea junkie.

2. Do you speak your mind?
If the occasion demands it. I am generally pretty sharp tongued and try to keep that under control.

3. What is your escape?
Reading, writing, poetry, places in my head to visualise - a walled garden or a head land by the sea being my favourites.

4. When is the last time you cried?
Last night actually. I cry often, over an astonishing array of things.

5. What are your bedtime rituals?
Heck, I'm just glad I'm going to bed. Umm. Cocoa or warm milk and honey, brush teeth, read, oblivion and if I'm unlucky, two hours later - insomnia.
Such is life :)

Thursday - Love is all Around

This was taken one evening at Ffald Y Brenin. There is a lovely wood fire there and Lily and I curled up in front of it. The wood was crackling gently and the scent of the smoke was whispering autumn all through the room. I was so sleepy I nodded off holding her. Nothing like a nice warm cuddly baby to make you feel soporific.

Well, That's All Over...

Phew! Haven't read that hard for a long time. Settled down to some serious Pottering. Read it in about 24 hours and I think it's the best she's done since the first one. I loved shell cottage, favourite bit actually and the dragon. And as for that one dying in the end. I was so annoyed I actually shouted at the book. But they were a favourite of mine...what can I say? And as for Snape...oh my gosh, but I knew that too. It was good seeing all the taily bits being woven in.

I'm off now to read all seven right through just to get the flow again.
ttfn

Miles of Silk!

It will become a bag eventually
honest!

more silk!

I am still plugging away with the seascape lace weight. It takes a deal of spinning and this is easily the finest thread I have ever spun. It is taking ages! So I don't suppose I'll be speaking much about that until I'm done which should be about 2009 sometime :)

I haven't done the felt bag yet. It'll probably sit there for a bit the way a half finished project usually does. Making me feel guilty until I get tired of it and away we go in a blur of activity.

Aside from that I am slowly getting things together for the America trip. Getting quietly excited about it and in the same breath quite sad. Odd really. I am longing to go, I've always wanted to see America, but I have never been so long away from Wales since I first came to live here as a child. I will miss the whole of August. Balckberrying, harvest, such as it is with the rain we've been having. The leaves will have started to change by the time we get back and it will be the turn of the season.

How much though we will have to tell! Stephanie says that internet access is limited where they are and I must believe her. But I am hopeful that I will be able to find an internet cafe somewhere on our travels and keep the blog updated. I cannot take the wheel, cannot take too many books, no spinning, no blogging and no knitting, on the plane at least - eight hours! No knitting, what the heck am I going to do?
And I must leave my family and friends behind while I swan off into the west. Leaving behind all my attachments and addictions in one go. Oh dear...

Still, at least I've got V and the kidlings. And it will be warm. I could stand a little sun right now.

Ffald Y Brenin Pictures

Just seein this sign at the bottom of the drive makes me feel like I've come home

The craft room

Mountain view from craft room

Hello Again

Well, that was great fun. Three days of teaching on the prophetic, creativity , vision and dance.
The late nights chatting meant that it has taken me a day to get my sleep back!

I was particularly pleased with the dance, considering that I have not taught for at least a year and it is utter chutzpah on my part to lead a dance class as I am not a dancer. But people started moving in worship and that was just wonderful.

I got a fair bit of spinning done too as we gathered in the main room together and no one minded that I quietly span while the teaching went on. And I knitted up the kermit merino into a satisfactory rectangle ready for felting and lining to make into a bag. At least I will have one handmade pressie to give at Christmas time.

I wish V had not lost the camera, well, mislaid it really. But pics up soon.
Til then...ttfn

Ffald Y Brenin

Off tomorrow to our favourite retreat for a few days, until Saturday I think.

Ffald y Brenin means Fold of the King, (do check out the link - fantastic photos) It is high in the middle of the Preseli Mountains in Pembrokshire. No traffic, no noise. Just red kites (birds)and silence and the presence of God like a blanket around us. It is one of the most amazing places on Earth. I kid you not.

There is a fantastic craft room there with tons of space so I am taking the wheel and I will sit and spin , looking out at the valley below while soaking up the peace that passes all understanding and tea and biscuits in roughly equal quantities.
I am doing a teaching on spirit dance, that is - worship through dance. It has been years since I have taught. We will have to see how it goes.
Now I have packing to do and printing of notes to get going with. See you soon. Take care.
Nos da cariad

One Deep Breath - Bodies of Water

I knew that science was not for me when I asked my physics teacher why clouds were not heavy when they had so much water in them. I failed in the most thorough way to understand a word of his patient instruction. I love science, the patterns that I know are there but cannot understand no matter how I try. I'll stick to poetry. A girl has got to know her limitations - unlike clouds...

No one has told them
they are not supposed to fly.
Water floating by.

For more bodies of water check out ODB here

Just a Bit More Yarn...

Plied Kermit Merino Chunky

Seascape Tussah Silk. Roving spun into lace weight.

These yarns are everything I love about spinning. Texture, colour, vibrancy, luxury and usefulness. There is not a hobby like it.

Don't forget...

Jump Twosday over at Patois' place.

Again, another warning. Don't go if you're nervous :)

Spinning Day!

Don't you wish you lived here?

Bunking off to Sharons today to glamourous Upper Cwmtwrch. To sit by the river that runs through her garden and spin and knit and chat and drink tea and talk wool. I'll take my camera and hopefully, if the batteries play along I'll have something to show later on.

Finished spinning the kermit merino. Plied up quite nicely really, not perfect but good enough for rock music. Sharon is an expert felter and probably deserves the title fibre artist as she has that edge of vision which I so admire and yet lack so obviously! But she is very generous and allows me to pick her brain at any time. And for this I will take chocolate walnut brownies, which due to my recent disasters with Iolo's cookies, is all that I have the confidence to make right now.

TTFN my lovlies !

Update 21.50 same day
Confession
I didn't take brownies...or cookies. I ran out of time. But I took soup...tinned I'm afraid. I'll lose my Nigella badge if I'm not careful. Sorry Sharon, but there is always next time. After America!

Okay, now I know ...What Animal I was in a Past Life

You Were a Koala

You value living life at a slow, peaceful, meditative pace. You give insightful advice, helping others to overcome obstacles.

What Animal Were You In a Past Life?

My New Button

This is what my clever husband made for me






Please feel free to take it if you like

Now that is what I call a bad dream

6.30 am, not as early as most times they wake me but still. Rose wanders in sobbing
"Mummy I've had a bad dream."
Snuggle under the duvet, mop up tears...
"Tell me all about it darling."
"Well, I was swimming in the sea and an octopus grabbed me with one of his testicles."
I beg your pardon?
No, it was not a typo.

Hey, It's Sunny!

Wheeee! Look at that yellow thing in the sky! Haven't seen that in a while.
That's it. No spinning for me today. I'm off down Neath to check out what the nutters in Church on the Move are doing on the town square. See ya later!

Additional below

Went to town to help V and Uncle Daisy do some street work. The carnival was on today and town was packed. We spoke to relatively few people but the ones we did.

A drug addicted ex convict currently living rough in the old abbey until the winter at which point he normally commits some not too bad crime, gets caught and jailed through the winter to be released when the weather gets fine again.He says it suits him. Catholic boy, prays, likes God, didn't want a cup of tea or a hot meal, just wanted to say hi I think.

And the man suffering depression with his little girl on his knee, slowly and undemonstratively weeping into her hair as Daisy prayed for him.

And the wonderful woman that encouraged me so. She was profoundly disabled, partially sighted, wheelchair bound, withered arm and a speech impediment but her mind was as light and agile as a butterfly. I am happy she said. I don't need prayer. We chatted for a little while and she gave me a bag of malteasers when she left. She blessed me with more than chocolate.

We are doing another one next month, just before the American trip. Possible dancing, drums and banners. I am looking forward to it

Just remembered this covers an item in my 101 in a 1001 days : no 70

Fibre Swap!

I've never done a fibre swap before.This one is organised by Spindle and Wheel, a spinning e zine but is open to fibre crafters and artists of all description; knitters, weavers, felters etc. I am plotting possible goodies to send already. What fun!

Friday Five

Here Fishy Fishy

jsbrown 1. Have you ever gone fishing? Yes, when I was three, I caught a minnow and was so revolted I never fished again 2. Do you have an aquarium? Nothing so posh, I have a goldfish in a bowl though. Her name is Elizabeth and is probably not long for this world. 3. Do you eat fish? Not really. 4. Have you ever seen Finding Nemo? Only a thousand times. 5. What do you think of Sushi? Cook it and I'll think about it.

A Welsh Valley in July

These were taken a few days ago, The mist was slinking down the valley and the early morning sun looked wet and glossy. I went outside to take a couple of photos and the air smelled of Autumn. The first breath of the turning season. The weather has worsened now, very grey and cold.

I had a lovely day in Cardiff yesterday with Carol, a day full of first times for me. I've never been to Lush, jeepers I walked into the store and hit a wall of mingled perfumes. What an intoxicating experience! Bought several rose scented bath bombs, a slice of orange blossom soap and a tiny pot of coffee flavoured lip balm. Yummy. Laura Ashley had a two for one sale on and two Holly Go-lightly skirts later I could no longer say that I had never shopped at Laura Ashley! It was a day of presents, suprises, fun and laughter. A wonderful day. Thankyou Carol.

Thursday - Love is all Around

Love is all that saved these two from a terrible retribution after they had broken into my art supplies and raided my green acrylic. They had a great time in the bath afterwards as acrylic peels off in layers. They were like a pair of zombies picking at each other. Ewwww!

Mmmmm...silk

Todays Project

Turn this into something lovely

It is rather kermit coloured but you know - It's not easy being green.

I'm planning a felted bag, but who knows really. I think it will be good with some daisies or butterflies embroidered on it. I might even put it in the Guild Exhibition. (See Tawe Guild link on side for more info)
It has been a while since I attempted yarn of this uniformity and thickness. As a single, it is probably a DK weight and will ply up to a chunky. I usually foul this kind of yarn up as I still have difficulty keeping the roving even as it twists, leading to slubby yarn. Which means that I usually stick to thick'n'thin "fancy" yarns (for that read lazy spinner) as I like to have something other than a foul mess for the money I have spent on roving. So far though it looks as if I am doing okay ... hey, I've only been spinning for two years gimme a break!

A New Game

This is not for the fainthearted mind, so if you are at all uneasy then don't go, okay?

Right, that said, when I found this, I laughed so hard in shock that I was crying. This is not something that a good Christian woman should do in this situation is it? But, if you have been reading here for any time at all, you will know by now that I foul up regularly, even spectacularly at times. Okay, enough warnings. Now... if you are so inclined then I recommend that you go to see Patois and have a laugh. I did.

Feathered Friends - ODB

The prompt for this week's haiku is feathered friends. Here is one I wrote a little while ago and had no cause 'til now to post.

Advice to Chickens
Now, listen up girls -
If any foxes show up,
Turn into parsnips!

For more feathery fun check out One deep Breath.

You know you're a knitting fool when...

I watched Breakfast at Tiffany's today. And what caught my eye? Holly Go-lightly's fractured brilliance? The luminous script? The diamonds? George Peppard? (not really, but pretty eyes) The New York setting? Yes... all these things but what really made me sit up and take notice was Audrey Hepburns knitting technique.

Oh deary me...

Just a Bit More Yarn...

Finished yarn

Man made, who knows what is in it.

Turquoise merino, thick n thin (leftovers)

Cobweb Update

Heading into the home straight now. There are many glaring errors on this shawl and by rights I should start it all over again, but (and this is a biggie) this is the first knitting project that has ever inspired me. I love working with the yarn, the pattern is interesting but easy enough for even a simpleton like myself to be able to follow it, at least in theory, practise is somewhat different as anyone could see by the unexpected holes. Perhaps I should call it random cobweb, like the funnel webs you see rather than the elegant suspension bridge like webs that are always photographed all dew spangled and that. Which is why there is little point in posting a photo because, as it is all squished up on the needles, it looks more like a cushion rather than a shawl.

Actually, when I say home stretch, I mean I can see an end in sight rather than only a few more rows to go!

And after cobweb, Icarus! Ta da!!!!

Eight Random Facts...again

I have been tagged by Clare and agreed before I realised that I have done this before, but hey, whatcha gonna do?

The Rules: Each person posts the rules before their list, and then they list eight things about themselves. At the end of the post, that person tags and links to 8 other people; then visits those people's sites and comments, letting them know that they have been tagged, and for them to come read your post so they will know what to do.

Eight more random facts about me

• By the time I was full term with my twins I had a 52"waist. I am only 60" high. Man, I was uncomfortable!
• I cannot stand wearing bracelets. I get terribly annoyed almost instantly
• My favourite colour is orange.
  
• I cannot dance at all. I have two left feet. But I enjoy it so much that lack of ability does not stop me.
• I can never tell jokes because even if I ever actually remember them correctly, I am normally laughing so hard at the punchline in my head that I am unable to speak.
• I wanted to be a physiotherapist when I left school but was told by my careers officer that I needed a degree in physics to do this. I believed this man and a career was lost before it had even started.
• My favourite book is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.
  
• I like to eat Marmite off the spoon.

That's it folks.
I think I will tag Nicole, Pilgrim, The Sheriff, Cherub, Angora,
Amanda
and I have run out of people I can to tag so, if you are reading this and would like to play, leave a comment and I will ask you nicely okay?

From Fluff to Finished

Combi, crocheted in double trebles and dry felted yarn ball to fix if desired

So chuffed with this yarn...had to take another pic

tiny ball of lace weight parrot

Plied up with parrot lace weight single

Turquoise thick n thin

Turquoise merino top

Parrot acrylic top

Friday Five

1. What do you do?
Pretty much what I like.

2. What makes you pay attention?
"Mum! Eden's playing with your make-up!"
"You know your favourite mug? Well Lily found it and...
"Emma (best friend) has got nitsl"
"The cat's thrown up again"

3. What's your inspiration?
Right now, it's pretty thin on the ground what ever it is.

4. Do you believe in magic?
Yes, of sorts. I think a lot of things are magical. Smiles that speak volumes, familiarity, love and loving when there is little to love sometimes.
But magic of the Gandalf sort? No, I don't believe in that.

5. What is your favorite subject to write about?
The things I know about. Family, spinning, wondering...

Another new find!

Just pootling about cyberspace and came across a fantastic little site, a spinning e zine! And they are having a fibre swap! Cool... I've never done one of those. I am thinking about signing up. Linked below and on side bar, go check it out.

Thursday - Love is all Around

Grubby Eden

This was taken on the day out in Blaenavon a couple of months ago. The children had been playing in the dirt around the Irish cottages (behind) and I thought that Eden probably would have fitted right in with the workers brats of the time.
On one hand I hate seeing my kids dirty because I cannot bear to think of what they must have been digging around in to get so mucky and on the other I love to see them dirty because I know they have such fun getting that way.

In the 1830's little Eden would have had another three years of staying at home with Mam and then the likelihood was that she would have been sent to the works to chip iron ore for a penny a day. Thank goodness we live now rather than then.

Introducing...

She sounds lovely, or she would if I could stand the pain it causes to press on the strings! I asked V if they did nylon strings for beginners - well they do for guitar! He just laughed at me, obviously they are not kidding when they say that a musician suffers for their skill. So, I will have to restrict myself to ten or fifteen minutes a day and build up to get some calluses. I taped my fingers and that meant I didn't bleed all over my pretty new toy, but it is still painful to type! :D

But I think I should manage okay, which is good news all things considered. I love learning new stuff and this should keep me quiet for some time, well...maybe not quiet, but you know what I mean.

Can't do anymore tonight though so I think it is a row or two of cobweb before beddy byes.

Nos da Cariad

Light and Shadow for ODB

Dante and Beatrice
walking the tightest of ropes,
Sheol or Heaven?


Had a terrible job writing this prompt, just couldn't get it. This will have to do

For better efforts check out ODB here

Happy Independence Day!

Stars and Stripes Forever Quilt

Independence - fantastic word. Whether it is shaking off the shackles, beating oppression or something as mild but beautifully powerful as a baby's first steps.

Well America, we've had our ups and downs over the centuries, and your president is a bit odd, but I think you're wonderful - have a good one.

Busy day or wot?

Didn't go to Bristol, weather far too foul. Didn't go to Hobgoblin, didn't even order the mandolin over the net. Didn't get mandolin today. But that is okay.

Because we went to Cardiff instead and had a lovely time, (even though parking was frightful). We went to the museum, which we haven't been to in ages, I mean years now. Had lunch out, popped into a Cardiff music store in the hope that they might have something suitable but what they had instead was faintly patronising staff - no thanks.

Pootled about the Bay area and V pulled me away from Ikea by brute force. Not really... we were driving past and he refused to go in because he did not believe that I could go in for the saki bowls I've been wanting and come out with saki bowls only and not another string of fairy lights and a new rug, new throw and other pretty but fairly useless assorted tat etc. I can't think where he gets these ideas from!

Came home in good time for ballet class and on a whim dropped into Neath Music and there she was...love at first sight. Full body, swan like neck, rich timbre on her voice and she is electric too. I must have her and take her home. I couldn't at the time, but I will return to claim her soon. Mine, all mine. Photos of the new mandolin tomorrow hopefully.

Distraction Technique #152

The prompt on ODB is Shadow and Light...hmmmm a biggie. I'm gonna have to think about this one. That'll be fun.

It'll give me something to do whilst going over the bridge today. I purely loathe that suspension bridge. It feels so unsafe. That's the only reason I don't go to England more often I swear.

Severn Bridge and man it is high and it feels like it's going on forever

This pic is not mine, it is a stock photo, but I can't remember where I found it, sorry

Oh deary me...

Check out Hobgoblin Music here

Did I say that retail therapy had to stop? Well colour me changeable 'cos I'm off to Bristol on the morrow with long suffering V in tow to try out a mandolin from Hobgoblin. I don't know...I've just always wanted one okay? I'm alright on the guitar, but my hands are so stupidly small ( seriously, I can just about stretch an octave on the piano) that it is very hard for me to play well. Thus I reason that a slimmer neck will suit my literally child sized hands rather better.
And this one is so funky, don't you think? It is a little more expensive than I was prepared to pay considering that I am a beginner, but well, you don't want to scrimp do you? And it can always come out of the Christmas money that my dearest MIL has promised to bestow on me, ostensibly to get a new coat ... but I wont tell her if you won't!

Nos da cariad

Fantasy Fibre Order is Go!

Oh what fun I have had over the last few days. Since I could not go to Woolfest, due to a nervous husband, I have been celebrating my own personal wool festival with the help of Posh Yarn and Winghams. I'm sorry to see the last of it. I really cannot allow myself to spend anymore until I have spun up at least the rest of the lime merino that I ordered about a year ago. Funny how these things get shoved in the back of the stash and get forgotten.

So here it is:

• Space dyed tussah silk in seascape - destined for laceweight yarn.
  
• Delphinium merino wool - for Rose to have a poncho that will set off her sky eyes to perfection.
  
• Royal purple tussah silk - to ply with the blue black in my stash.

And that's it, hardly anything really. I was going to order some cashmere but I found some in the bottom of my stash, it was incorectly labelled as merino and I was going to felt it. Yikes!

I didn't get the peppermint alpaca top, the bluefaced leicester humbug - very lustrous, but I'll probably get some in the Llantrisant sampling day in October and I didn't get the tussah silk in herb garden either. I really could not spend any more considering the Posh yarn order and the books I have bought from Amazon. All good things come to an end alas. Retail therapy must end here.

Sleepy Kitty

Zac doesn't care about the rain when it is warm inside

It is still pouring down, it's cold, I've got the fire going...in July! Welsh weather, I dunno. Zac however is loving it, a nice warm spot on the sofa and he is one happy kitty. So cute.

Due to foul weather all outside activities are cancelled and instead a programme of spinning, knitting, vegetable soup and painting with the kidlings is scheduled - all in the company of the lovely Norah Jones. It feels like Autumn already.

Have a cozy day, stay in or take a brolly.

Finished Object

Carol's scarf

Made from the Jacob Humbug and it took a bit more wool than I thought it would! I made it using a really simple technique to make it curly and it only took me an hour or two to do. The wool is rather coarser than I hoped it would be, I wouldn't want a jumper out of it, but it is okay for a scarf worn over a coat and it is very warm.

Wow!

Blueberry Hill by Posh Yarn

Wolves I tell yer, wolves! Who'd have thought that it would have been such a frenzy! I got the giggles it was so bad. There I was at 6 sharp, poised as I said earlier. But it was no good. The fastest 'putor wins I suppose. I missed both the yarns pictured below but managed to snag my third choice, blueberry hill, a lace weight 100 per cent cashmere and I had to shift I can tell you.

Still, very happy with it and have decided that I will do Icarus in this which gives me a few more days to finish cobweb and think of an equally lovely project for the Samba yarn that I originally bought for the Icarus but somehow it just didn't gel. I think I will do something from Victorian Lace Today with it, perhaps the small shoulder wrap, but that will be sometime next year I think!


Update
Yarn arrived on 4th July, hurrah! Really quick service Dee, thanks. And I have spun 100 per cent cashmere yarn, so I knew how soft it was going to be, but whenever I do something it never quite meets my approval. This yarn is absolutely scrumptious, it is called blueberry with good reason, it has a purple bloom running through it and it is a soft matte texture. What a pure pleasure it will be to work it. Yay!
But first Cobweb, which needs to be ripped back three rows :( and I am dreading it. The Sherriff has had such a nightmare with ripping back Kid silk and she is an expert, what's a poor moron like me supposed to do?

The agony of choice

Oh what is a good girl supposed to do? Advice someone please.

Posh Yarn have their sale on today and there is possibly the most stunning selection that I have ever seen on their rainbow glory pages. It starts at 6 and it is first come first served. There is no way that these yarns are not going to get snapped up so if I want them I must be poised like a coiled snake at the keyboard on the dot of six. And here is my problem - church starts at half five. Oh no.

The conversation goes like this...
But I haven't been to church for three weeks and am feeling the lack...but I need that yarn...but I want to go to church...but that yarn is beyond lovely...but I haven't danced in such a long time. Arrrrgh



Look at the pictures and then say you don't feel my pain.

Sunday Scribblings

What's Your Sign?
Funny this one. I nearly didn't write about it as my faith does not encourage an interest in astrology. Before I became a Christian I was full into it though and I knew a lot, I could cast charts and all sorts. I found it absolutely fascinating, the subtleties of the study.

As I became interested in the Christian faith I recognised that Deuteronomy was fairly clear - do not look to the stars for guidance. Let me be clear: there is nothing in Scripture that I can find that forbids the study of astrology, however, we are required not to rely upon it or cast our fortune upon it. I am a fundamental kind of person. If you are going to believe something then believe it with your whole heart, don't mess about. I was sorry, but willing to give it up as part of my commitment to the God that I was falling in love with and I laid it down.

I still remember a lot of the information though and when a conversation is started about astrology I join in rather than throw my hands up in horror as I have seen many Christians do. However, the fact is that if you tell me that you are a Scorpio or a Pisces...well, I know a lot about you. (Actually I have never been told by a Scorpio that they are a Scorpio, they always like you to guess, so do Capricorns) I know there is something in it and I acknowledge its accuracy and its limitations. And I do this because I know that the Lord created Heaven and Earth and all that is in it and He is not a God of confusion but of order. He sang the stars into being, in all their beauty and He set them on the paths that they tread through the sky. It is natural that there is a grace and precision that even mankind can spot.

I was born in early March and to some that makes me a Piscean. Well, I see enough of the character in me to go with that sure... and I think being a Pisces is pretty cool actually, but the fact of the matter is that I was reborn under the sign of the Cross and that means I don't have to be limited to what I want to do or what kind of person I want to be because of the position of a constellation against the sun at the time of my birth. I can be anything I want because Jesus said I can.


For additional discussion of this topic may I recommend what my dear V has to say: check it out here, it is interesting.