End of the Month Round Up!

How did it get to be the last day of May already? I'm bracing myself for the start of the busy season at work - this weekend is the June bank holiday so it'll be pretty bonkers on the ferry -- at least it looks like the sun will be shining though, which always makes things easier (if busier at the same time!)

I got a nice surprise in the post today - Peter had ordered a selkie cover for my phone :)Isn't it lovely?

I also got my 'fitbit' - I wasn't sure how to celebrate my 900th Etsy sale but then decided to get a 'fitbit' -- my Dad has one that you wear on the wrist but that isn't a very practical option for me as I wasn't sure if my crochet would count as steps or not...so I bought a 'Fitbit ONE' take a look!

 I chose a burgundy one and really like how tiny it is. I think I will keep it clipped in my jeans pocket during the day and then can use the soft wrist band when I'm sleeping :) It'll be interesting to keep track of how active/inactive I am....

Our building work has finally progressed! The builders were back today to pour the foundations for the sunroom - yay!! There's been a bit of a set back though as we've discovered a problem with one of the drains -- there's a downpipe from one of the gutters that just goes straight into the soil -- no wonder that wall in our kitchen is damp! So the builders will be putting that right, as well as mending the pipe that the digger went through - hopefully both will be relatively small jobs and I'm hoping that they will be back tomorrow as they have left their truck!

The cats are feeling really displaced whenever the builders are here - it'll be nice when it's all over and we have a sunroom, but I am expecting it to take ages yet.

I'm still waiting to catch sight of the blue tit chicks in our bird box but Mum and Dad are working flat out to feed them....

Seven Day Nature Photography Challenge

My big sister Claire nominated me (on facebook) to post a nature photograph a day and I'm always up for an excuse to take photos so here are my photos from the last few days 

This one doesn't really look so exciting but it's one of our pair of blue tits going in to feed their little chicks! I love this time of year - I made that nesting box several years ago now; following directions in Gardener's World magazine and am so proud that the birds return there every year.

 Next up is an ant's-eye view of our lawn. Yes there are lots of daisies...also buttercups, dandelions, plantain, speedwell and just about every 'weed' you can think of.

 I really quite like this one of a bumble bee and my raspberries - my Dad takes much better bee photos than I do (he's a bee keeper!) but I snapped this one and like that I caught the bumble in flight rather than on the flower.

 I just have a lone iris in my garden this year, which makes it all the more worthy of preserving in a photograph.

 I took this photo the last time I was at St. Finan's bay - most of the plastic there is now just tiny tiny pieces so I only manage to fill a bag or two at a time. As you can see, the native plants are starting to grow through it all now so I am just leaving those areas untouched.

 Oh I love this photo! Yes, it's out of focus but how happy and relaxed does that seal look??!

This was my first photo in the 'challenge' - it's ship-worm holes in some driftwood...I thought it looked a bit 'arty'!!

She Sells Sea Shells...

 I am constantly surprised at how popular the sea shells are in my Etsy shop - I have sent them all over America! The little cowries seem to be especially in demand - I love going looking for them, they are relatively common I guess but their size and colour makes them hard to spot (I like a challenge though)

These flat top shells are popular too. I love how the outer layer of the shell often wears away to reveal the beautiful mother-of-pearl underneath.

I've finally taken a break from making wrist warmers and am making a few scarves from my new book of patterns -- I love how they have turned out but as always my tension doesn't match what it should be! I always have to adapt the patterns for things as my work comes out 'too' tight (though I like my tension and can't imagine working looser)

This was the first one I made; I'd bought a big 400g ball of wool/acrylic blend ages ago and was going to save it for a scarf...of course it's only now that I finally use it up! The scarf is made in three layers which are joined as you go along so there isn't any real sewing afterwards. I really like how it turned out and it's a pattern that I will probably use again in the future.

The black chunky wool was some that I'd bought in the UK ages ago and couldn't ever find a project for it - but it is perfect for this scarf/neckpiece. I love how structured it is and really like the bow-fastening.

I'm already making a second scarf using this pattern - using the grey Donegal Tweed left over from last year's hats for the artists.

I'll take more photos when I have that one finished - I need to try and figure out a way to use my mannequins as models for scarves rather than have to model them myself for Etsy listings....

New Beginnings

It looks like finally our plans to have a sunroom built on the site of our patio will be going ahead this year! It's something we've been thinking about for ages - our house is so tiny that it will be great to have another room to stretch out in...

While we're waiting for the building work to start (we've got to wait for the builder to get a machine back which is out on loan) we've been clearing the patio. I don't think it's been this bare since we moved in!

For the time being everything from the patio is just piled up in the back garden...but I'm planning on sorting through it all.

I'll be posting progress photos once the building work actually starts but this is Peter's rough plan (complete with cat footprints)

 Yes, I've been adding some more sea shell listings to my Etsy shop - they are selling really quite well for me (I think the thing is to keep the price reasonable and to sell the prettiest colours etc)

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Yesterday was the most glorious day so I went to one of my favourite local beaches - not to collect rubbish etc but to just go for a walk and enjoy the view. Somehow I managed to fall over not once but twice while I was there (wobbly rocks are my downfall, literally!) and now I have a badly bruised elbow.

These calves were so curious (while I was waiting for Peter to pick me up) and I love how blue the sky was - it was a perfect day apart from falling over!

Yes, I've made more wrist warmers - again, this is some German wool that I'd bought (at an extortionate price) in Iceland! It's pure merino wool though and I love the colours.

And finally this is a print we bought while we were in Iceland and have finally got around to getting it framed and hung on the wall!