Monday the skies were crystal clear and very blue, enticing me out for a walk.  The pictures speak louder than words…

Just a little bit of where I live.

PS.  last day of the give away – just say hello!

]]> http://alisonb2.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/blue-skies/feed/ 3 alisonb2 100_2246 100_2249 100_2254 100_2258 100_2262 100_2277 100_2281 100_2282 100_2278 100_2287 100_2292 100_2295 100_2298 100_2305 http://alisonb2.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/time-out/ http://alisonb2.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/time-out/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:18:32 +0000 alisonb2 http://alisonb2.wordpress.com/?p=922 ]]>

This weekend we took a moment for some time out!  Time away from everything.  To re-group and take stock. Time to relax and catch up.  It has been so hectic here for such a long time that we had forgotten what it is to have a weekend to rattle around in!  So after bacon butties – our standard Saturday lunch! – we went shopping.  Some light retail therapy!  Mr A’s retail therapy is not quite the same as mine.  It isn’t the sort to linger over windows.  To spy the little bargains.  To drool over a beautiful corded coat – although I did do this on Saturday, but  they didn’t have my size! Drat! And double drat!!!!”!  His sort is…. know what I want, where I want to go for it and whizz…….. it is bought!!  It wasn’t quite this quick on Saturday, but it was a very focused shop.  So I shall save my browsing and drooling for a day on my own!  Then it was home for a saladey tea and some light crafting.

In  fact I did quite a lot of crafting this weekend.  Things for the Sun Shine School.  Sorting out and mentally pricing things ready for the next sale. Hooking and knitting while I watched the cars varrrooooming around the race track.  Stuffing and sewing while Nottingham Forest were wrestling with Cardiff.  Want to see?  Well here is just a peek….

Two little buzzing bees.  One for each hand.

Three golden glows.

Four Rainbow babies all snuggled up warm.

Hair bobbles and brooches and matching pins…..

So things are moving along just fine…….

And the weather today is glorious so I have had a long walk to town and back.  Snapping away for some artistic shots! …… Ha ha!!  But that is for another day.  A day to play about and mosaic in!    Just a tease….

PS the give away is still there… so just say hello!

Well I have had a go.  I didn’t have the pattern with me as Mr A was on the computer(!), so all I had to go on were the pictures in my memory.  And it isn’t bad.  Not bad at all!  What am I talking about?  Oh sorry, I have made a birdie.  A birdie to hang around.  Lucy at attic24 has been making them and given everyone the pattern – thank you Lucy – but as I said I didn’t have the pattern, so this is my take on a birdie.  I chose to make a clucking chicken…..

two little dangly legs….

a fanned out tail….

the cocks comb head….

with a little flower – all complete…

to hang around on my kitchen door.  She should be scratching really!!!

PS Don’t forget the give away.  Just say hello!

Yes I have been tinkering.  Trying to find a new format for my blog. And after trying several I have stopped on this one for the moment.  That’s right just for the moment!  It may change.  It may be tweaked.  I just don’t know yet.  It is a year since I started my blog.  A whole 100 posts.  So I thought it is time to move on and try something new for the coming year.  I want to make some mosaics.  Some montages.  I want to be more creative in the way I write my blog.  Whether I will  is another thing, but I want to give it a go!  I therefore need a broader panel to write in and hence the reason for my tweaking.  After much searching I have settled on this one.  I’m not clever enough to design my own – yet!!!! – so I have had to rely on a template.  A pattern.  Some instructions.  Just like learning a new craft.  And once I have mastered this new craft I can develop it.  So with that I give you the new alisonb2’s weblog.  I hope you will stay with me and help me learn!

Now I did say I have come to the end of my first year in blog land and I feel this  deserves some form of marking.  I should have made a cake and put a candle on it, but it has been a bit hectic here of late so that hasn’t happened.  Neither have I made a card or thrown a party!!  But I can do a give away – if you would like to take part.  A present to wing its way across to your door.  Bows and paper and goodies inside!  Something from little old me to say thank you for dropping by.  Thank you for saying hello and giving me a boost when things have been difficult. ( And boy they have been difficult at times!)  Thank you for being out there in blog land!  I will leave this available for a week, so if you want to take part say hello!

About two months ago I told you about my special friends.  True ones.  Ones who are always there at the end of a phone.  Always ready to help.  Always there to support.  Well this weekend they have been there for all the family.  For this weekend we lost a very special friend.  A very special person.  We said goodbye to a Dad, and a Grandad.  Someone who made us laugh with his ‘muttley’ laugh (remember Dick Dastardly?!); answer all the questions about the plants in the garden; listen when we were explaining some thing new, and not quite getting there.  Someone who was kind and gentle, and once upon a time was a dab hand with a paint brush! So this picture is to say thank you to the friends for their kindness, but mainly for our special Dad.

I’m not around to blog at the moment, so keep on knitting and crocheting and sewing and….. whatever you like to do!

Flowers can bring lots of messages.  They can say ‘I love you’

and show how much you care.  They can say ‘I’m sorry’

and be a peace offering.  But for whatever message they bring they will always make you smile, especially next to a cheeky duck!!  Can you see his grin?  This little fellow sits in my hall and grins at me when I leave the house, or come in, when I tread wearily up the stairs at bedtime, or skip (ha ha!) down them first thing in the morning!  No matter what, he is always there…grinning!  I bought the flowers a week ago and they are still shining.  I chose them because of this….

Dad painted this picture for Mum and it hung in  their bedroom.  Now it is waiting to go up in mine.  A bouquet of happiness!!  Other flowers have been squeezing into my cupboards too.  Like this…

and this…

Delicate patterns that are pretty, but hopeless for keeping a hot cup of tea hot!!!   Still, little treasures.

I have been continuing the green and white theme with my little Granny flowers.

It is growing, but very slowly because of these other little goodies…

Hair bobbles adapted from Lucy of Attic24’s flower pattern.

Birthday cards for adults and children…

All neatly packaged in their cellophane bags ready for the Sun Shine School fund raise.

The needles have been clinking too…

Rainbow Babies, pattern courtesy of Jean Greenhowe.  I love their little bobble hats…

(sorry about the hand shake!!!)  Then finally my first Christmas card design for this year.  One with a message…

‘Light and life to all he brings.’

Happy crafting!

Sorry I’m not around at the moment, but I will be back!

Beautiful sunny weather brought us out into the open for a leisurely stroll in the park.

Enticed outside by the squirrels we put our best foot forward….

to stand and stare uuuup at the very tall trees…

before tracing them doooown from top to bottom!

Discovering around the corner a carpet of tiny cyclamen….

penetrating where the sun didn’t shine, but still managing to be so perfectly formed…

Crunching through the leaves and conkers…

before wending our weary way home…

for a nice cup of tea!

Busy, busy, busy!  That is what I have been today, busy, busy, busy!  I have done a spot of housework, that is, I have cleaned and polished and tidied and de-cluttered the lounge!  Boy did it need it.  I don’t know about you but things pile up, and the only way to de-clutter is to systematically start in one corner and work around the room.  Putting things away, polishing the surface and then moving the piece of furniture to hoover underneath, and around the back.  Aggie would have been proud of me!!  I did, however need something to keep me sane.  Something other than a cup of frothy cappuccino.  Can you guess?  Some cutting and sticking.  Something very simple but quite satisfying.  I have been making some Sunshine School gift tags.  Ta-dahhhhhhh..

Yes, that is the ‘C’ word.  I am getting ready for the next craft sale with  lots and……

lots and lots of Christmassy things including the gift tags!!!

So I have watered the plants inside

and out

and am now going to settle down to some hooky business in my nice clean lounge!