January Reflections

Hi there, as January draws to a close I hope this dark, quiet month has been as pleasant as possible for you all. Contrary to the tradition of making resolutions and change at this time of year I think it's important to be kind to ourselves and brighten up our lives with small treats, pretty things and activities which bring us pleasure.

I've had a few classes cancelled this month so I used the extra time to indulge in some afternoon crafting, a few bright spells allowed me to do some more of my Parisian cross-stitch. I've been doing this cross-stitch for a long time as I only do small sections at a time and I find I need very good light for some of the colours.

When the light wasn't so good I made some more alphabet letters.

One of the small treats I've been enjoying is this Clover Yarn Cutter Pendant which was actually part of a Christmas gift from my sister. I got it in antique gold colour, it's really good and much better to carry around than scissors, it has happily cut everything from thread and fine cotton to DK acrylic very easily. I don't usually take my crochet out with me but feel much more inclined to now I can simply wear this pendant, I can't imagine not having it now.


In our family January included a celebration.

It's a birthday, my Mum's to be precise. This year celebrations were changed at the last moment due to this.

It snowed. This the viburnum I showed you in my Happy post, now dusted with snow. As the snow was heavier where my Mum lives and she is a little unsteady on her feet these days our planned lunch was hastily changed to coffee and cake at her house so she didn't need to go out.  

The letters are for a crochet project which has been in my head for a little while now, I made the letters up as I went along so I haven't written up a pattern for them yet. I also have another small crochet project I've been working on but as it is a gift for someone I must keep it under wraps for now. 

With all the storms lately plans have had to be flexible, we have cancelled this weekend's snowdrop walk thanks to high winds, heavy rain and hail. The last few days have definitely been ones for snuggling up indoors with some crochet or cross-stitch, hot chocolate and a film. I'll leave you today with something pretty.

These beautiful pink and white tulips I'd like to share with you, I couldn't resist them when I was out yesterday. I adore tulips, they brighten life up and will bring much enjoyment over the next few days. It's lovely to have flowers inside to brighten these winter days while I wait for the garden to wake up from it's winter slumber. I hope you enjoy these tulips too.

What has made you smile in January? Do you have any tips on how to make winter days brighter or anything you couldn't imagine doing without?

Til next time,

Hx

HAPPY

Hello there, mid January already, where does the time go? I do hope you all had a lovely festive season and have much to look forward to throughout 2016. I've been absent from blogland for quite a few weeks thanks to a neck problem which curtailed both my crochet and computer time, thankfully it's on the mend now and I can once again pick up my hook and catch up with people.

Small projects are what I need for the moment, something I can pick up and put down easily, so crocheted alphabet letters like the ones above are just perfect. Happy. What makes you happy? It's the little things that make me happy so I thought I'd share a few of the simple pleasures making me feel happy this January including these letters.

Pale pink flowers coming out on the Viburnum in our back garden. I love this plant, when there is nothing else out in the garden, including the snowdrops, I can rely on these little pink flowers for cheer. It brightens up the view from our dining table during the dull days at this time of year and I thoroughly enjoy seeing them. I snapped this photo from the window during a brief break from all the heavy rain there has been recently.

Another simple pleasure brightening my days is tea and cake. Earl Grey and Dundee cake anyone? Is there anything prettier than fine china teacups and saucers? I love pretty teacups and found these in a thrift shop a while ago. I couldn't believe how lucky I was to find them as the pink roses match the ones on my Maxwell & Williams cake stand very well, even though this china is decades old.

Although some things are out of our control, I often find happiness in taking the time to notice the small, simple things in life. As I returned home yesterday I stopped and took a moment to look and see if the shoots of the snowdrops had come up yet in my neighbours garden, and they have! I'm enjoying these short, dark, cold days of January, watching the birds feast on berries in the garden and feeling lucky to have a warm and dry home when so many others haven't. Spring, my favourite season, will soon be here, but not just yet and in the meantime there is tea, cake and crochet, what more could a girl want?

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous 2016.


Hx

Winter WIPs

Hello, it's time for a quick catch up post before starting on Christmas makes. Winter is well and truly here now in this part of the world so it's time to enjoy making the house cosy and welcoming as the temperature drops and we move through the shorter days. Living in a modern house we don't have an open fire so for us this means turning up the heating and using the cosy glow of soft lamps and candles to create that warm, welcoming ambiance. Winter also heralds a return to casseroles and crumbles, home made soups and steamed puddings. Curling up on the sofa, sometimes with a book and a hot chocolate or mulled drink, more often with seasonal crochet projects which I can't bring myself to work on at other times of the year and so it is that I have returned to a project I didn't finish last winter.

This will be a cosy tunic to layer up with when it is finished. The pattern is one which was passed to me from a magazine a few years ago, friends and family often pull out and pass patterns to me from magazines if they think I will like them. The pattern used Sirdar Luxury Cotton 4-ply yarn however I had this sock yarn already in my stash so used it instead.

The bottom half of the tunic is worked in a mix of trebles and puff stitch with the top half worked in trebles only. I do need to concentrate when I am working on this top as whilst the body of the top fits if I work to the pattern the shoulders are too big so I have to adapt it which makes for difficult interesting progress.

Do you find yourself changing the types of projects you work on as the days draw in? I haven't started making anything for Christmas yet as I'm not making any gifts this year, I do plan to start making little bits and pieces this week though and will post them as I make them. Have you been making gifts for Christmas yet?

Til next time,
Hx