Blanket for a Doll

My little niece got her first doll this Christmas. Her name is Lily. By now Lily also has a pushchair to sit in and a little pillow, but she had no blanket, so I was kindly asked if I could make one. I accepted the challenge and using some leftover 100% cotton yarn that I brought from Prague, I had a go at mz first granny square pieces (or something that very much resembles granny squares, basically something square and colourful as far as I am concerned).

Here they are. All my squares ready to be sown together. Can you spot two that are the same? It was a complete accident! :) 

All sown together with a border crocheted around.

Nicely stitched together with yarns of various colours. I like it, I like the details and how imperfect it is.

 Here's the finished blanket, kindly modelled by Jeffery the cat.

I am very pleased with it and I am sure Lily is too. The only thing I could do better is hiding the sticking-out ends. However, I don't really mind. So.. back to the cute cat :)

Bug Hotel - The Beginnings

A structure is growing next to the shed, a little pile of things that I proudly call the BUG HOUSE, although it is more commonly known as a BUG HOTEL or INSECT HOTEL. So far it is just some roof tiles holding together a pile of little rocks, a concrete block, short logs with holes drilled into them and an upturned broken flowerpot, but already there are creatures inhabiting it. Actually, I have moved it from a different corner of the garden and in the process I have seen dozens of woodlice, some quite big centipedes and surprisingly very few slugs! Hopefully I will be able to get more logs cut and holes drilled and get it more organised so that more invertebrate guests can move in!

I also got  a brilliant Christmas present from my friends in Prague - a handmade hanging bug hotel. It is more aimed at flying invertebrates, such as solitary bees. So far it is empty, but I hope to see some movement around it soon. After all, the spring has just started.

I am also growing seedlings of wild flowers to place around the garden to feed all those wonderful pollinators and a watering hole to keep the bees hydrated, cool and happy. 

Do you want to build your own insect/invertebrate home? Check out these seources:

• a great pdf by BBC Wildlife
• RSPB has a lot of good advice about how to attract wildlife into your garden and here is their advice on bug homes

Crocheted Little Owls

I have been doing a lot of crochet between Christmas and Easter. I was asked to try and make an owl and so I did. First the big blue one, which took ages, then the little pink one which is basically two squares sown together with eyes and beak and wings and a bit of feathery hair :) Owls are very popular wherever I look and looking at these I know why. Their facial expressions are just loveable!

Cookie, Anyone?

My little niece celebrated her first birthday during the Easter holiday. She is currently at the stage of repeating what people around her do. Brushing teeth, brushing hair, mixing with spoons and playing with tiny cups and toy cookie and doughnuts that I made (hopefully there will be a picture coming soon). She needed an extra cookie for an extra plate and here came the double chocolate chip cookie, white chunks in the dark brown dough. It was hard to give it up, but I am happy it will be played with :))

Easter

This Easter holiday has been exceptionally good.When else do you get to eat chocolate eggs and Easter biscuits for breakfast?

I even got to painting some of my blown eggs. The food colouring and wax process did not work well, so I used acrylic paint to do the job. Next year I will know what to do and what not to do and probably choose some better colours. By the way, I have been getting a lot of inspiration from spending ages by staring at Elspeth McLean's painted mandala rocks. See how bad I am compared to her?? :)

 I made this bunny out of my new acrylic yarns to guard my Easter eggs. It took me very VERY long time to finish him, but he is here. And he is staying with me :)

We visited a little farm near Guildford and purchased some gorgeous goose eggs and made an omelette. That colour is simply gorgeous, don't you think so?

The garden got a lot of my attention, but the most beautiful flowers just sprouted on their own without my help.

Now I am experiencing a classic dark and rainy English day, warm tea and crocheting a very colourful blanket that I started in summer. At least the garden is getting watered.

Fried Crocheted Breakfast

I so do love Thursday evenings. The man is out swimming up and down the local pool with his friends, I close myself in a room with a DVD and a lot of yarn and I make and make... or I read or tidy up, feed the snails, have a bath or I do other "me" stuff. 

This time I made this sizzling hot fried egg and bacon, 100% cotton :)

They are already listed in the shop.

Potatoes

I am growing two varieties of potatoes this year. And so far both of them are doing very well in the garden (or the kingdom of slugs, as it should be called!). Potatoes are one of the very few things that have been doing well last year, so I am keeping fingers crossed for a big harvest this year.