tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88315803435066789342023-11-15T13:53:56.680+00:00Arc Of ColourIgnoring the negative, embracing the positives in life, & learning to be happy!Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-22837893889659171202014-08-14T08:31:00.000+01:002014-08-14T08:31:05.138+01:00Be back soon......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>I'm sorry I've been gone so long. It's been a tough year for us & I've just not had the time to sit down & blog. I'm planning (hoping) to start blogging again soon but for now I'll just leave you with these few images of some of the things that have made me happy recently.</b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">♥ ♥ </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">♥</span></b></div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-65088794793039127652014-02-15T23:40:00.000+00:002014-02-15T23:40:02.715+00:00Happy 2014!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It feels like I've been away for ages....well I have really, sort of! I was hoping to start posting again in October but time was not on my side. Towards the end of last year things went from busy to chaotic. Even Christmas seemed a lot less relaxed but don't we all prefer to be busy? I know I do!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My chosen image for my first post of 2014! It's a representation of the weather we are all having at the moment! Oh how I long for a bit of sunshine!</span></td></tr>
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I am so grateful to have crochet (and crafting in general) in my life while we are all experiencing this horrendous weather! It's that little bit of sunshine that we all crave in our day. We've had a few power cuts thanks to some horrible storms & gale force winds but otherwise we have been very lucky. I hope you are all keeping safe & warm wherever you are in the world!<br />
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Although I've not blogged much, it doesn't mean my hook hasn't been busy! I've got so many projects on the go that I can't keep track of them all any more. I need to remember to make a note of what hook was/is being used for what project (biggest problem when you have too many WIPs on the go). Anyway, I thought I'd share some of my current WIPs with you. (Apologies for the photo quality in some. I've been using whatever is closest to take photos lately!)</div>
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And seeing as you've not seen any of these yet, I thought I'd start the year off with a post showing you my most recent completed projects of last year!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ea61m0mtU1k/Uv-SX4zD9_I/AAAAAAAADaU/eFMSWY9urNc/s1600/Baby+BlueYellowGreen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ea61m0mtU1k/Uv-SX4zD9_I/AAAAAAAADaU/eFMSWY9urNc/s1600/Baby+BlueYellowGreen.jpg" height="460" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Crocodile Stitch booties (<a href="http://bonitapatterns.com/products/crocodile-stitch-booties" target="_blank">Pattern</a> by Bonita Patterns), Corner to corner blanket (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNrS4s5C8vc" target="_blank">Pattern</a> from Crochet Crowd), Infant hat (<a href="http://crochetvolution.com/archives/winter-2011-archives/infant-hat-in-simple-cables" target="_blank">Pattern</a> from Crochetvolution) - All made using Ice Yarns <a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/baby-yarns-magic-light-white-turquoise-multicolor-green-blue" target="_blank">Magic Light DK</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5arqDcXvR-8/Uv-SjrYEUaI/AAAAAAAADa0/6qrFfQLfvH0/s1600/Crocodile+Booties+Rainbow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5arqDcXvR-8/Uv-SjrYEUaI/AAAAAAAADa0/6qrFfQLfvH0/s1600/Crocodile+Booties+Rainbow.jpg" height="460" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Crocodile Stitch booties (<a href="http://bonitapatterns.com/products/crocodile-stitch-booties" target="_blank">Pattern</a> by Bonita Patterns) - Made using Ice Yarns <a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/baby-yarns-magic-light-yellow-purple-pink-multicolor-green-blue#" target="_blank">Magic Light DK</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fluffy Meringue Blanket (<a href="http://www.yarnspirations.com/pattern/crochet/fluffy-meringue-blanket" target="_blank">Pattern</a> by Patons) - Made using Ice Yarns <a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/baby-yarns-magic-light-yellow-purple-pink-multicolor-green-blue#" target="_blank">Magic Light DK</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CWZk7N8PMe0/Uv-SrnqdbEI/AAAAAAAADbM/olN9IxocWNk/s1600/Other+Bits+%2526+bobs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CWZk7N8PMe0/Uv-SrnqdbEI/AAAAAAAADbM/olN9IxocWNk/s1600/Other+Bits+%2526+bobs.jpg" height="460" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Headbands (<a href="http://flowergirlcottage.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/crochet-headband-pattern.html" target="_blank">Pattern</a> by <a href="http://flowergirlcottage.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Flower Girl Cottage</a>), Various flowers used but my favourite one is the <a href="http://skamama.blogspot.co.uk/2006/06/picot-flower.html" target="_blank">Picot Flower</a> by <a href="http://skamama.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Skamma</a>), Little Christmas Stocking (<a href="http://www.lemondedesucrette.com/2011/11/16/little-christmas-socks-the-pattern/" target="_blank">Pattern</a> by <a href="http://www.lemondedesucrette.com/" target="_blank">Le monde de Sucrette</a>) - Made using <a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/baby-yarns-magic-light" target="_blank">Ice Yarns Magic Light DK</a> & <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/special-dk-all-colours" target="_blank">Stylecraft Special DK</a> Various.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BV42nxoVtm0/Uv-Sdmhok9I/AAAAAAAADak/9NnhLtfv6Ks/s1600/Rose%2526Derek+Blanket+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BV42nxoVtm0/Uv-Sdmhok9I/AAAAAAAADak/9NnhLtfv6Ks/s1600/Rose%2526Derek+Blanket+2.jpg" height="456" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Patchwork style granny square blanket for my future-in-laws! (I don't think you need a link to a pattern but I'll include one in the next photo anyway). - <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/special-dk-all-colours" target="_blank">Stylecraft Special DK</a> yarn.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Basic granny square <a href="http://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Crochet_Granny_Square.htm" target="_blank">pattern</a>, and I used the <a href="http://myrosevalley.blogspot.ie/2013/02/granny-square-join-as-you-go-tutorial.html" target="_blank">JAYG</a> method to join them.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NaEgxMUdj2s/Uv-Sgy0RSzI/AAAAAAAADas/4QMYqURXYoo/s1600/Rose%2526Derek+Blanket+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NaEgxMUdj2s/Uv-Sgy0RSzI/AAAAAAAADas/4QMYqURXYoo/s1600/Rose%2526Derek+Blanket+3.jpg" height="460" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think this has become my favourite border! I got the <a href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/2013/02/granny-patchwork-blanket-ta-dah.html" target="_blank">idea</a> from the lovely Lucy over at Attic24! It's simple yet effective.</span></td></tr>
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Ok, I think I'll leave it at that for today! I've got plenty more to share but think it's best divided up into 2 posts! So for now I will love & leave you! Take care & thank you for reading ♥</div>
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Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-20790714306305098622013-09-01T20:17:00.000+01:002013-09-01T20:17:19.110+01:00Time to have a break.........<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I spent the last week thinking about how busy we are lately, how little free time & family time we have at the moment and how a few things desperately need to change! When I started my blog at the beginning of the year, I hadn't realised how hectic things would get! We haven't even had time to go for those walks I love so much!</div>
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With my to-do list growing longer, my current WIPs increasing, my dad's crazy work schedule, our September schedule looking chaotic, my fiancé's health up & down and our need for a healthier lifestyle gradually growing, I've decided to take a brief break from blogging until (hopefully) October. We've had a bit of bad luck thrown our way recently which hasn't helped much but I am remaining positive!</div>
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I've learnt something this year that has given me a different outlook on life! We should always try to find the positive in the negative. Try to find something everyday to feel positive about no matter how rough that day might be! Even if it's something small like cooking a yummy dinner! Negativity is so draining! I spent a lot of my life being negative. I've always been a pessimist but this year I am working hard to be an optimist! Ok, that's as insightful as I'm going to get!</div>
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So, with a bit of luck I'll be back with plenty to share by October! Cat's included! </div>
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Hopefully you won't miss me too much! <span style="font-size: large;">☺</span></div>
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But for now, take care lovelies! I'll leave you with this photo taken on my dad's birthday, December 2012 at one of my favourite places....The Mumbles Pier! </div>
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PS: My Oupa (grandad) turned 80 on the 29th of August! The best part of my week was getting to speak to him & my Ouma (grandma) for the first time in ages! ♥♥♥</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-61638899206725681402013-08-26T14:42:00.000+01:002013-08-26T16:09:13.840+01:00A Bank Holiday Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's a Bank Holiday Monday here & I've been up since 6am. My poor dad still has to work so it's only fair that I get up early to welcome him home with a hot cup of coffee & some breakfast. It helps that I'm a big fan of early mornings! My dad is pretty awesome. He was at work till 6am, came home, had some tea & breakfast, had a few hours sleep & then got up and went to the shops to get a few odds & ends and surprised us with a teatime treat! </div>
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I've been crocheting like crazy lately. I've only got till the end of September to get my 2 large crochet projects done & then I'll need to start preparing things for the Arts & Crafts Fayre. The 2 large WIPs are my dad's camo blanket & a gift (also a blanket) which I can't say too much about at the moment. Both are coming along nicely but they are certainly chewing up my time!</div>
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Two of our lovely cats have developed a habit lately of waking us up as early as possible! Soetie (the black fluffy one) and Tabby (it's in the name really) have decided that anytime after 5am is perfect for a bit of attention! I disagree slightly...7am would be better at weekends if you don't mind! I managed to squeeze in a photo of Bella, Socks (being crazy & playful as usual) & Munchkin. Bella put a big smile on my face this week when I saw her climbing onto the chair & getting ready for a nap. I've finally managed to get her to sleep on the chair with the blanket rather than on the cold floor! Yay! The cats are great at letting you know that it's getting colder. They hog all the blankets & Munchkin starts looking for humans to snuggle up to! </div>
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And lastly...I have been doing plenty of baking lately. Well, I say baking but it's more like experimenting. See, there is nothing nicer than a hot pudding/cake/cookie etc in winter with a lovely hot coffee or cappuccino so I've been experimenting with all these microwave recipes out there. I have one chocolate cake one that is my all time favourite! It's not eggy, spongy or rubbery! It's perfectly chocolately, like a giant brownie in a mug! I'll try to remember to post it sometime! I found a lemon one that I've not tried yet and I've tried loads of cookie ones but none have been successful! Got any to recommend?<br />
While I was experimenting with cakes & cookies, my dad mentioned that he'd rather have something savoury. So off I went to the kitchen to bake some spicey cheese muffins! That was lunch! Yesterday, I made pancakes with maple syrup for breakfast! We don't have them too often because the maple syrup is pretty pricey!<br />
I'm getting back into my baking & cooking again. I think it's because it's cooled down a bit!<br />
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Ok, that's it from me this week. Short & sweet! It's been a hectic & very unlucky week (I might share that story with you one day) to start with but we've all kept that smile on our faces hoping that September will be a better month! Take care all & hope you have a lovely week!<br />
See you next week!<br />
♥<br />
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PS: If you have any issues viewing my blog please let me know. I've changed a few things & will be fiddling with it over the next few days!</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-40486165350342436902013-08-18T16:28:00.002+01:002013-08-26T15:14:09.232+01:00Birthdays, family & fun times!<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YyjQwOMbmyw/UhCnT6o-h5I/AAAAAAAABUA/Y2kbMEsDbQY/s640/LoveBlog+-+Copy+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></div><br />
I'd like to start this blog post by wishing my fiancé a <b>Belated Happy Birthday</b> on my blog! I didn't get round to posting on the day because we were so busy. It was a lovely day & I've got plenty to share! This was the 10th birthday (of his) that we've spent together! He means the absolute world to me ♥<br />
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I'm playing catch-up with everything at the moment! I've finally caught up on the washing (sort of) and cleaning (though I keep finding more things that need to be done) but everything else is way behind schedule. I'm a bit snowed under at the moment! I'm behind on all my crochet projects and still have to start putting some ideas together for the Arts & Crafts Fair. Too much time spent procrastinating and not enough time spent crocheting & organising! I keep getting distracted & finding other things to do. Yesterday I decided to bake some almond cupcakes even though I knew I had a full schedule! Priorities! Priorities! Priorities! I need to focus!<br />
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We've also had my fiance's parents visiting so I've not had much time to do my usual blog post & am a week behind but I will try to keep this post short & catch you up on everything we've been up to.<br />
PS: That's the woodpecker that keeps visiting us!<br />
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Minion! So my wonderful fiancé spotted <a href="http://allaboutami.tumblr.com/post/11585794742/minionpattern" target="_blank">this pattern</a> a few weeks ago when I was browsing the internet & decided he'd love one for his birthday! Fast forward to a week & a bit ago...there was me sat at the laptop, crochet hook in hand, putting together this nightmare of a project. The tutorial is excellent and probably the best I've seen but I've never done much amigurumi so this was hard work for me! This was 3 days worth of hard work. I was up at 6am everyday and not getting to bed till 3am & was having to squeeze minion time in whenever I could. The things we do for the people we love! ♥ Never again! (I say that now but he'll probably have me making something else before the end of the year!). We watched <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1323594/" target="_blank">Despicable Me 1</a> & <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1690953/?ref_=sr_1" target="_blank">2</a> recently & they're just awesome! Absolutely enjoyed every minute!<br />
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I baked a cake or two! I don't really do cakes. They never come out right and I'm no good at icing them. My lovely man wanted me to bake him a chocolate cake so I gave it a go. It was just a basic (easy peasy) chocolate cake recipe. I even lined the tins this time which is something I've never done! More on the cake further down......<br />
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Please excuse the lack of a shirt...it was early in the morning & this is the only photo I have of him with the Minion! He finally got to meet his Minion! I think he likes him. They'll get along just fine. It was all smiles on his birthday. He was very spoilt and it was a very enjoyable day. Look at that lovely smile ♥ says it all really!<br />
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My dad has been on leave for the last week & my fiancé's parents arrived the Thursday just before to spend the week with us. His parents treated us to lunch at his favourite eating place...<a href="http://www.taybarns.com/taybarns.html" target="_blank">Taybarns</a>! We all had a great time! Lots of laughs & too much to eat! Unlimited cappuccinos (my kind of heaven)! The weather was lovely. I got everyone to pose for our traditional photo on the bicycle stands. We've been doing this over the past few years and it's really interesting to look back at.<br />
My dad made a lovely roast dinner for us the following day & a delicious Trifle. I think we definitely overindulged but it was thoroughly enjoyed!<br />
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And the end result of the cake! I decided to keep them as two separate cakes. We ate one the day before with some ice-cream & chocolate sauce and we ate the other one on his birthday. The icing is just chocolate cream cheese but it did the job! His dad helped me decorate it. It's not perfect but it was made with love & that makes it special! ♥<br />
Delicious with a bit of cream! The birthday boy loved it.<br />
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Of course the cats always find their way onto my blog! Our little furbabies aren't the most sociable creatures. They spent most of their time hiding, shouting at our visitors or sleeping. As far as they're concerned, they rule the house! They can be pretty demanding at times. Tabby got some outdoors time so he was happy. Everyone else was content to stay indoors!<br />
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On their last day with us (an hour before their train was due) we were treated to a snack at our favourite cafe...<a href="http://www.nrgcafebar.com/" target="_blank">NRG</a>. Nothing compares to this awesome cafe! My fiancé's mother is as much a fan of this cafe as I am! I had a Cafe Creme Brulee, she had a Baileys Latte, my dad had a Espresso Macchiato & my OH had a delicious strawberry milkshake! Of course we had to have a treat to go with it! Strawberry tarts & caramel shortbreads! Yum, yum, yummy! This is the same place we went to for my <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/birthdays-engagements.html" target="_blank">birthday meal</a> earlier in the year.<br />
We took a slow walk to the station & then said our goodbyes. We had a lovely week with them. It'll be a year now before his mom visits again but we'll be seeing his dad again in October!<br />
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Now that our visitors have gone home, life must slowly go back to normal. Easier said than done! We've managed to get a fair bit done though. We bought some lampshades and my dad put them up yesterday. They add a lovely bit of colour to each room. I finally got round to ordering some new bedding that will be here on Tuesday & winter curtains. Normal routines shall resume tomorrow morning, starting with a 4am start! Now if I only I could catch up with my crochet!<br />
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I think that's everything! I hope you've enjoyed my little catch-up with you & hope you are all well. I'm off to catch-up on some of my favourite blogs! Wishing you all the best for the week ahead. Hopefully I will see you back here next Sunday!<br />
Take care!<br />
♥</div>Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-54263984691769024812013-08-05T13:16:00.001+01:002013-08-05T13:16:52.490+01:00A new visitor!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm a day late with this post but my weekend has been jam packed with sorting & cleaning! I caught the cleaning bug again so was on a major mission! We also have family arriving on Thursday & my fiance's birthday next week so there is a lot to plan and organise. Sometimes I think I get more excited about his birthday than he does!</div>
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Do you remember the photo last week of the red & brown squares? Well, this is the finished project! It was really fun to make but I would've loved to use other colours. It's part of my stash busting mission! I haven't got a link to a pattern because I got it from my head but it's really easy to make and there is probably plenty of similar ones around. I think it's 52 granny squares in total (I could be wrong) and I used the JAYG method. The handles are very basic. I ran out of yarn on the handles so I couldn't make them very long & couldn't add the flowers like I had hoped but it's great as a sort of handbag.</div>
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So here is my charity collection! It's all currently in the shop, waiting for someone to buy them and all of the money made from the items goes to the charity. The small bag already sold! The lovely manager bought it as soon as she saw it! It certainly makes me feel good being able to do things for charity and I've still got loads more yarn to use up!</div>
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I'd like to introduce you to our new visitor! My dad had been making dinner when he noticed it on the bird feed. I quietly went to grab my camera & started snapping away! It's not often we get squirrels in our garden. Actually, we've never had a squirrel in our garden so this was definitely a moment to remember!</div>
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I don't think the crows & magpies were very happy to be sharing their garden, especially when the squirrel kept chasing them away from the food! Moe didn't look too please either. He was a bit confused at first. I love it! I thing it's so cute and they are so clever! We've not seen it since but that might be thanks to the rain! Oh & we've been getting regular visits from a woodpecker! I ♥ wildlife! It's the Zimbabwean in me!</div>
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And lastly I will leave you with these images! These are 2 things I'm working on at the moment (along with the many other WIPs). One is a gift so I can't say much about it but I throw in photo here & there and the other is something I started to make because a family member needed help but now I've just carried on with it. I'll show you more once it gets a bit bigger. The pattern can be found <a href="http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet-Afghans/easy-crochet-diamonds-throw-from-red-heart-yarn" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Thanks again for reading. I hope your week has had as good a start as mine has. It's not often that we have a good Monday in our house but so far so good! I'm in desperate need of some R&R. My neck is still sore (my own fault for spending too much time on the laptop over the last few weeks) & the pain has been causing other issues so have strict instructions from my lovely man to do nothing today. I don't think that will last long because I'm the type of person that always needs to be doing something.<br />
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Take care everyone! Wishing you a week filled with happiness & positivity! I'll try to post at the weekend but otherwise it will be next week!<br />
♥<br />
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<i>PS: I'll show you my new crafting lamp next time! It's awesome! ☺</i></div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-76122956000366296502013-07-28T18:14:00.001+01:002013-07-28T18:14:21.326+01:00Change is good but so is rest!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I'm quite proud of myself! I actually managed to find time to sit down, gather up my recent photos and put together a proper blog post this week! Some of them are going on 2 weeks old but better late than never. It's been a bit quieter lately. My dad has been on rest for 2 weeks because of foot pain. Policeman's heel to be exact. Very painful! But it's back to the usual full schedule this week, starting with 4am mornings from tomorrow!</div>
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Not sure how but I managed to pack a fair bit of crochet into the last fortnight so I have a few things to share. Even during the heatwave I found myself crocheting away, sitting on the kitchen floor or in the lounge in front of our huge (18 inch) fan, trying to deal with the zillion ideas floating around in my head. Thankfully, I had a lovely coffee milkshake (camp coffee, ice-cream & milk mixed together = YUM!) & some muffins to help me through it. </div>
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The top photo is the little scrap stash project I mentioned <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/in-midst-of-heatwave.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I plan on adding to it whenever I have any small bits of yarn to use up. I think it's a great idea for all those tiny scraps & will look perfect in the bathroom once it's done. </div>
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The patchwork granny square blanket is a little project I started a few weeks ago. More on that further down. </div>
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I've also been working on colour ideas for a project I planned & bought yarn for at the beginning of the year. I'm having an issue with a few of my choices & that's lead to me making numerous swatches. You know when you really want a certain colour in your project but it just doesn't seem to gel? Yeah, that's the problem I'm having.</div>
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And lastly, the red & brown squares. This is an idea that just recently popped into my head & so far I am loving it. I started it yesterday & should be done by Tuesday....hopefully. I'll be sharing it with you next time.</div>
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I've not forgotten about my other unfinished projects. My plan is to get some of them done this week but the big one won't be. I won't be meeting my August deadline for it sadly but it will be done before Christmas!</div>
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The heatwave really messed with our eating habits. We often have salad dinners (as shown above) but we were having them way more than usual and sometimes we weren't even having that! I also made <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melktert" target="_blank">melktert</a> (milk tart) last weekend because it's such a refreshing pudding. I did mine without the pastry to avoid using the oven. It's always my go to dessert when it's too hot for baking because it's so easy. </div>
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And with the heat came big changes for my wonderful fiance. We decided it was time for him to get a haircut. He's had long hair for a good few years now but it was just getting to be too much. I got the hair clippers out and an hour later he felt happier and refreshed! Look at that pile of hair! I think the new haircut really suits him! <span style="font-size: large;">☺</span></div>
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Parcels! Parcels! Parcels! Yes, I took full advantage of the <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn?brand_name=6102" target="_blank">Drops cotton sale!</a> I've got a lot of new yarn to show you. I've been buying it all throughout July because some of it wasn't in stock when I placed the first few orders. I'm just waiting on one more colour before I show you the other lots. I also bought some new <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/clover-soft-touch-crochet-hook-0-5mm" target="_blank">clover soft touch</a> hooks to join my collection. They are very tiny & are for the yarn mentioned in <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/the-big-stash-reveal.html" target="_blank">this</a> post. These hooks are great & so comfy! I did have some cheaper small ones but they were lacking in the handle department which makes crochet a little uncomfortable. Oh & I also purchased some yarn for a project that I won't be able to show you until after Christmas.</div>
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New yarn! This is <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/drops-muskat-allcolours" target="_blank">Drops Muskat</a> (100% Egyptian Mercerized Cotton). The colours are gorgeous & the yarn is lovely. I spent Monday making shadecards for all the different colours (48 in total). I only wish that there was a better yellow. My plan is to keep this yarn for little projects which is why I needed the shadecards.</div>
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Charity granny square blanket! I decided to use some (most) of my scrap stash for making a few charity goodies. I volunteer at our local Volunteer Centre and teach crochet on Thursdays as well as helping out with general duties like sales & admin. I've gained a lot from volunteering & wanted to do my bit in giving back. It's nothing special but every little helps. I've got a few more ideas up my sleeve.....we'll see what else I can add! <b>I'd be grateful for some stash busting ideas?</b> <span style="font-size: large;">☺</span></div>
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A bag and a potholder perhaps? Firsty the potholder! What do you think? On Thursday, the manager of the charity I volunteer for handed me a loom to try out. We grabbed some scrap yarn from the pile & sat fiddling around with it for a few hours & honestly didn't have a clue! Then I found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXyFU98ydAg" target="_blank">this</a> video & it all became clear! It's a great little idea don't you think? Easy to make & quick. I've not figured out some of the more complicated ones but I'm keen to give it a go. It's missing the doodah that goes through to tie the bits so I'll have to make one or something but otherwise it's awesome! Apparently you can even make blankets out of them!<b> If anyone has any other info please share! <span style="font-size: large;">☺</span></b></div>
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Ok, the little bag. I was messing about with tiny squares. Didn't know what I was making but then this idea popped into my head. I'm sure it's been done before but I love that I hadn't seen it anywhere! It's also a donation for my local charity. I hope someone likes it enough to buy it.</div>
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So, that's the start of my charity stash busting collection! </div>
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Bella's got the best bed in the world! I've had my scrap stash in the lounge most of the week and no cat can resist sleeping on a bed made of yarn! It must be super comfy! She certainly looks happy. I don't think I even need to tell you that Moe's already been in there! He can't resist balls of yarn! He loves peddling & snuggling up to them. </div>
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My little burrowing Moe man has been at it again. I had our blanket on the floor, ready to be thrown in the washing machine and then he decided that it was the perfect opportunity to burrow & snuggle. Believe it or not but this was on the hottest day of the heatwave! The hottest day & he decides to snuggle in a HUGE blanket!</div>
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That's the blogging done for the week, the house cleaned and my dad's doing dinner so I think I'll go put my feet up for a bit. I won't be doing much crochet today as I've strained my neck. I have a bad habit of leaning my neck to the one side when I crochet and I'm paying for it now!</div>
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Hope you are all well & that your weeks have been enjoyable! Best wishes for the week ahead! Hopefully I'll be doing my regular blog post on Sunday so hope to see you again then! Thanks for visiting.</div>
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Take care!</div>
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Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-2149463470611111712013-07-22T16:28:00.001+01:002013-07-22T16:29:40.625+01:002013 Reading Challenge<div style="text-align: center;">
Ok, I did promise a book post a few weeks ago so no time like the present! I love reading. It's my second favourite hobby (obviously crochet comes first). As a child I used to read a book a day but at some stage I just stopped. I think it coincided with us moving around so much. Anyway, a few years ago my wonderful dad bought me a Kindle & I've been book mad ever since!</div>
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So, shortly after I was converted back into a bookworm I found an awesome website called <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. It's like ravelry for book lovers! It's addictive & has lead to me buying so many books but also meeting some amazing people. These same people are the ones I have to thank for some of the most amazing books I have ever read!</div>
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These are my top reads of 2013 so far! Four of them have lead to a significant amount of tears! I am not usually a crier but some of these really tore me apart. I'll do a quick list for you with some links and a few details. These were all 5 star reads for me.</div>
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So Tiffanie DeBartolo recently became one of my favourite authors and here's why....</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/248103.God_Shaped_Hole?ac=1" target="_blank">God-Shaped Hole/The Shape of my Heart by Tiffanie DeBartolo</a> </b>- This was an incredible read & a definite tearjerker! I can't talk or even think about this book without feeling a little teary eyed. The writing, the characters, the story, the heartbreak....everything was just perfect! Here's a quote from the book that I love.....</div>
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"If your intentions are pure, I'm seeking a friend for the end of the world."</blockquote>
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<b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/113791.How_to_Kill_a_Rock_Star?ac=1" target="_blank">How to Kill a Rock Star by Tiffanie DeBartolo</a> - </b>The musical aspects of this book spoke to me in a massive way. I love music and the emotions behind it. I'm a sucker for lyrics...music tells a story in the same way a book does. Anyway, this book made me laugh, cry, kick myself and often left me frustrated and sitting on the edge of my seat! I loved it, all of it! And if none of that makes you want to read it then read it for Paul Hudson - A musical genius! A musical god! He was this book! And here's a quote from HtKaRS.....</div>
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"Personally, I don’t like inherently happy people. I don’t trust them. I think there’s something seriously wrong with anyone who isn’t at least a little let down by the world."</blockquote>
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<b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13335037-divergent?ac=1" target="_blank">Divergent by Veronica Roth</a> - </b>First thing I loved about Divergent was that there was no insta-love! I'm not a big fan of insta-love. I like things to build up slowly. The ride this book took me on was awesome! Tris was awesome! And Four...oh yes, Four! Isn't he out of this world, totally swoon worthily, awesome? He's definitely made my list! This book even sucked a few (very few) tears out of me (only towards the end of course). It had its fair share of twists & turns, a good few shockers! The world itself was rather interesting. I can't wait for the movie! And here's another quote....</div>
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"We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another."</blockquote>
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<b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7600924-forbidden?ac=1" target="_blank">Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma</a> - </b>I honestly don't know how to describe or put into words how I feel about this book. I was pretty wary of reading it but it's nothing like what I thought it would be. I cried, especially at the end. It was one hell of an insight into the psychological effects of a dysfunctional family. Heartbreaking & well worth a read. Try to be open minded though, the subject matter can be a bit hard to swallow for some. Here's a little quote....</div>
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"You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the things you do not want to feel."</blockquote>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13104080-unravel-me?ac=1">Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi</a></b><b> - </b>Taherah Mafia is a genius! Her writing is so poetic, it's beautiful! I highly recommend reading this series. Unravel me is the second book in the series so obviously it's best to start from the beginning....<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13455782-shatter-me">Shatter Me</a> and then follow that with <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13623150-destroy-me">Destroy Me</a> before you start on Unravel Me. Here's a bit of a favourite quote of mine from the book. I couldn't include the whole quote because it's really long but it's so beautiful....</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">"I want to be the friend you fall hopelessly in love with. The one you take into your arms and into your bed and into the private world you keep trapped in your head. "</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YosqfKz7j2k/Ue0qLp1AW4I/AAAAAAAABRE/tw1a9QV9sbQ/s1600/TBH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YosqfKz7j2k/Ue0qLp1AW4I/AAAAAAAABRE/tw1a9QV9sbQ/s200/TBH.jpg" width="132" /></a><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17340012-the-bronze-horseman" target="_blank">The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons</a> - </b>This is a tough one. I am still reading it! It's nearly 900 pages long and thanks to this heatwave, I've done hardly any reading lately. I never thought I'd enjoy a book this long but I am loving it! At one stage it did put me in such a somber mood. Can you imagine being so past starving the you don't even feel hunger anymore? My heart was breaking just imagining how people suffered in those times & the loss they experienced! It made me feel so many emotions and I just couldn't seem to put it down! I'm still loving every heartbreaking minute of it but thankfully we are in happier times at the moment. The book is based in Russia during World War 2 and tells the love story of Tatiana & Alexander...the greatest love story of all time. I'll have more to say once I finish it but for now, here is a quote from this incredible book......</div>
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"We walk alone through this world, but if we’re lucky, we have a moment of belonging to something, to someone, that sustains us through a lifetime of loneliness"</blockquote>
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Will I achieve my goal again this year? I was hoping to reach 70/80 but I hadn't realised just how busy my year would be! We'll just have to see!</div>
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So there you have it! That's as good as my book sharing & recommendations get!</div>
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*If the weather cools down a bit, I will do my regular weekly post in the next few days but otherwise it'll be the weekend. Thanks for reading. Hope you are all well! Take care!</div>
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♥</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-90850284771912581592013-07-14T23:21:00.002+01:002013-07-14T23:21:37.218+01:00In the midst of a heatwave.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm currently sitting in our lounge, listening to a favourite band of mine called <a href="http://www.ours.net/ourspages/" target="_blank">Ours</a> (the lead singer has the most incredible voice) and sipping a refreshing cup of tea. </div>
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It's been so hot lately! Too hot to eat, too hot to clean, too hot to sleep, too hot to move and too hot to be anywhere near the laptop! Our fans have been going nearly all day, everyday for over a week. I'm used to much hotter temperatures (being from Africa) but this is a different type of heat. I think the high humidity is the problem. I've been up everyday at 4am and have absolutely loved it because it's the only time it's cool!</div>
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So, my blog has been a bit neglected lately & this little boy is one reason why. Two weeks ago we noticed that his behavior had gotten worse. He already has issues (we think his previous owners abused him) but it suddenly got to the point where it was unbearable. Something wasn't right and we knew that a trip to the vets was needed. </div>
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Poor little boy had an infection in his mouth due to some very bad teeth. He was given 2 injections and some antibiotics. The vet told us to come back near the end of the week to see what the next step would be. Have you ever tried to give a cat medicine? It's almost impossible! </div>
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By the Friday of that week the infection had cleared up and so the vet took him in to have some teeth removed. You can see the two spots where they shaved him to attach all the special equipment needed to monitor different things.</div>
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That Friday was dreadful! I hate sitting around, waiting for the vets to ring. I just wanted him home.</div>
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Over a week later and he is a very happy boy! Tabby no longer has bad breathe and no yucky teeth!</div>
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His behavior has improved (he still has his issues) and he is starting to relax. We're a bit broke but he's better & that's all that's important!</div>
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My special boy ♥</div>
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I've been doing a fair bit of crochet & finally finished sewing in the ends for the second lot of solid squares, bringing the total to 231 (only 544 to go!). The ends are taking me a bit longer than normal as I'm dividing each end into 2 and then weaving them in opposite directions. (I don't trust squares!)</div>
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I've messed up a bit but I don't know if it's going to affect the blanket yet. I changed from an aluminium hook to my clover soft touch which has resulted in slightly different sized squares! Grrr! Not happy but fingers crossed!</div>
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I started working on a little scrap stash project on my volunteering day. I got the idea from the lovely <a href="http://sarahlondon.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Sarah London</a> and it can be found <a href="http://sarahlondon.wordpress.com/2013/07/02/crochet-a-yo-yo-coverlet/" target="_blank">here</a>. It might become a sort of curtain at some stage. It's easy & so fun! The best part is that it doesn't use up much yarn so all those tiny scraps are perfect for it!</div>
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Curtains! Yes, we finally have some decent curtains in our lounge! When we moved in we had a week to sort our selves out so we had to buy the cheapest curtains we could find. These windows are so large that it's not always easy to get the right size (and I know nothing about these things) so we were stuck with horrible brown ones. The kittens pretty much destroyed them (as you can see from the above photo of Vinnie clawing and hanging from the curtain).</div>
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So, last weekend (after nearly 6 years) I went hunting on Argos and found some lovely (and cheap) <a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9055616.htm" target="_blank">curtains</a>. </div>
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They are thin but perfect for summer! They brighten up the room and make me smile every time I see them! So far the cats have left them alone! I'm still on the hunt for winter curtains!</div>
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And look! The main hot spot in our house has finally been sorted! I had some spare time so spent a day sorting everything out. The top photo is the before and the bottom is the after. I'm feeling very happy with myself right now!</div>
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And we finally have some blinds up in the kitchen! The heat in the kitchen has been unbearable lately. The sun shines right in your face from about 4pm onwards which is lovely in winter but not right now.My lovey dad decided it was enough so he put them up today and boy does it make a difference! The kitchen began to cool down immediately.</div>
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Some cat photos to share with you! They've been so hot this week but there are water bowls everywhere for them and plenty of coolish spots. Boxes are a favourite! It's not even safe for the older cats to go out right now as cats can get sunstroke (Socks has had it once before). Friday was slightly cooler and so Tabby & Socks had a brief run around. The kittens weren't happy about being shut off from the kitchen as you can tell by the paw! It appeared under the door ☺</div>
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My last thing to share with you is the crows that have decided we are their main food source! Everyday, starting at 5am you can hear them making a racket & see them waiting for food. We don't mind feeding them as they are keeping the garden fairly clean by eating everything in sight! They also have plenty of young and it's been so enjoyable to watch them feed the babies. I've learnt a fair bit about crows in the past month.</div>
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Well that was a long update but it's been a while! I've got plenty on this week (including a very important meeting tomorrow that is all part of me "<b>finding the positive in the negative"</b>) but I really want to share some of the books I've read recently with you. I know this is more about crochet but I love reading so it obviously has to have a place on my blog. So I'll leave you with one last thing.......</div>
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My current read <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17340012-the-bronze-horseman" target="_blank">"The Bronze Horseman" by Paullina Simons</a> is probably the best book I've ever read & I doubt there will ever be another one like it so it's great that it's a trilogy! I don't even know how to describe this book or how it makes me feel & how amazing it is! It's the greatest love story ever written & I want to recommend the hell out of it! If you see it, buy it! It's long but every one of those pages is worth it! Oh but have a bar of chocolate handy because you are going to need it!</div>
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Ok, that's it from me! I'm off to relax & read! Hope you are all well. Take care and I wish you all the best for the week ahead!</div>
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PS: Seriously, if you are looking for a great read, buy that book! You won't regret it! ☺</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-61452733760411208302013-07-06T19:10:00.001+01:002013-07-06T19:10:46.613+01:00The Big Stash Reveal!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--_hzQE5Uhq8/UdgsDosnTkI/AAAAAAAABN4/RtpEmxQfKlM/s1600/20130424-DSC_1551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--_hzQE5Uhq8/UdgsDosnTkI/AAAAAAAABN4/RtpEmxQfKlM/s640/20130424-DSC_1551.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Do you remember seeing this photo a few months ago? Do you remember how I kept planning to sort out my stash but never got round to it? Well, with the help of my dad & my fiance it's finally sorted! It was an ever growing pile and needless to say, it was getting out of hand! Before I show you how neat & tidy it now looks, let me take you on a tour of my stash....</div>
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Let's start with my scrap stash. The top photo is mostly leftover <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/special-dk-all-colours" target="_blank">Stylecraft Special DK</a>. Yeah, this pile has been growing since I started crocheting in 2008. I am trying to use it up but it just isn't happening fast enough. I gave up on the squares I was making but I've got big plans for my scrap stash, don't you worry!</div>
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Under that and to the left, we have a photo of the colours I am using for my <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/catching-up-time.html" target="_blank">dad's blanket</a>. Again, it is all <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/special-dk-all-colours" target="_blank">Stylecraft Special DK</a>, 32 balls (8 of each colour) in total. I need to make a total of 775 squares! This project is currently taking up all my time as it has a deadline (that I don't think I am going to meet). So, I apologise for the lack of completed projects but that is the reason why!</div>
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And lastly, bottom right is <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/fab-big-all-colours" target="_blank">Patons Fab Big Super Chunky</a>. I was a bit lazy with this one. I recycled the photo I took when the yarn arrived. There isn't much left of it now as a lot of it was used to make <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/crochet-holidays-plenty-of-nature.html" target="_blank">cat bed 1</a>, <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/sunshine-rainbows.html" target="_blank">cat bed 2</a> an <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/staying-motivated.html" target="_blank">cat bed 3</a> but there is enough to make at least another 2 beds!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-avxXabd6rmc/UdgrtC5FVlI/AAAAAAAABNA/Cdh1Gp0T2M4/s1600/STASH1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="462" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-avxXabd6rmc/UdgrtC5FVlI/AAAAAAAABNA/Cdh1Gp0T2M4/s640/STASH1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Top left is some plastic yarn/twine I purchased from a charity shop. I might make a basket out of it but it's not easy to crochet with. I've got an idea in my head of what I want so we'll see.</div>
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Top middle is 2 balls of <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/drops-delight-allcolours" target="_blank">Drops Delight</a> (Rainbow print & red, orange, grey print). I'm not a big fan of this yarn. It's a bit too scratchy for my liking but the colours are lovely. I don't know what I'm going to use it for yet as I don't plan on buying anymore balls.</div>
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In that same photo, right in front of the Drops Delight, is some lovely yarn from <a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/" target="_blank">Ice Yarns</a> (more on them in a bit). This yarn is <a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/velina-paper-blue-shades#" target="_blank">Veline Paper Blue Shades</a>, it's 55% paper and surprisingly soft! I mainly purchased it out of curiosity and because it was sooooo cheap!</div>
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Top right is more yarn purchased from a charity shop. Anyone have any ideas what I can make with it? I honestly haven't got a clue! I just liked the colours!</div>
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Ok, bottom left is King Cole Gentle Touch DK. It's another one I just wanted to try. It was cheap and the orange is gorgeous!</div>
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Bottom middle is Magnum Multi Chunky. Lovely colour and I actually have a project in mind for it, it's just not as important as all my other ones. ☺</div>
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Lastly, bottom right is Louisa Harding Nautical Cotton. It was on sale, that's all I'm saying! ☺</div>
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Ah, we've arrived at the expensive stuff! These were little luxuries I treated myself to. The first one is Manos Maxima Merino and the colour is Passion Flower. Here is a link to their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Manosdeluruguayyarns" target="_blank">facebook page</a> if you want to know more about them. The yarn is beautiful. </div>
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The one on the right is obvious! It is Debbie Bliss Andes which appears to have been discontinued? It is so lovely and soft. I'm almost too scared to use this yarn because of how much it cost me. For now I am happy to look at it and occasionally stroke it. Hopefully when the right project comes along I will have enough! A lot of it is on sale now but I have no idea what colour would go with the 3 I already have.</div>
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We've reached the yarn from my current favourite yarn shop! <b><a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/#home" target="_blank">Ice Yarns!</a> </b>They deliver all over the world, their prices are shockingly low and the yarn is gorgeous! Only problem is you have to buy it in packs but that's not really a problem now is it? ;) A dear friend of mine told me about them. The top left photo is an example of how they are packed. I was really impressed with their service! So far I have purchased: </div>
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<a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/velina-paper-blue-shades#" target="_blank">Velina Paper Blue Shades</a> (as mentioned above).</div>
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<a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/mohair-angora-wool-angora-design-yellow-purple-pink-multicolor-blue" target="_blank">Angora Design</a> (20% Angora) (Yellow, purple, pink blue) which is very fine, lighter than it appears in their picture (as you can tell from mine) and lovely! I've been browsing the beautiful projects made from it on Ravelry. I have a strong feeling this is going to be a shawl!</div>
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<a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/baby-yarns-magic-light-white-multicolor-maroon-black" target="_blank">Magic Light</a> (100% Acrylic) (White Maroon Black) is lovely. It's not as soft as the Stylecraft yarn but the colours are so lush! I'm planning to buy some of the rainbow ones one day!</div>
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<a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/mohair-angora-wool-magic-mohair-yellow-orange-multicolor-black" target="_blank">Magic Mohair</a> (70% Mohair) (Yellow Orange Black) bought mainly to make a <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/catching-up-time.html" target="_blank">scarf</a> for my fiance. He loves flame colours.</div>
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And lastly....<a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/cat:en:4929" target="_blank">Cotton Perle 12</a>! (100% Mercerised Cotton). I bought 10 different colours. It was extremely cheap! Don't know what I am going to do with it as it's really thin but I'll think of something! I'm open to suggestions!☺</div>
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I won't bother mentioning the small balls of black & purple wool as they no longer sell them.</div>
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These are all my cotton yarns! Ok, top left is <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/rico-creative-cotton-aran-all-colours?gclid=CMGjyvWsm7gCFVMftAodU3sAqw" target="_blank">Rico Creative Cotton Aran</a>. The colours are beautiful and so vibrant! It's a bit splitty but the colours make it all worth it. Top right and the middle photo is the <a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/cat:en:4929" target="_blank">Cotton Perle 12</a> again from <a href="http://www.iceyarns.com/#home" target="_blank">Ice Yarns</a>. I just love staring at those colours!</div>
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And lastly is my stash of <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/drops-paris-allcolours" target="_blank">Drops Paris</a>! I don't remember where I purchased this yarn from as it was so long ago. They have the old black labels on them and I've noticed that the newer stock has white labels. So, seeing as <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/index_lang.php" target="_blank">Drops</a> are having a sale all through July on all their cotton yarns, I decided to use some of my saved up birthday money and <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/drops-paris-allcolours" target="_blank">buy</a> some! I got a few other ones to try as well! ☺</div>
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<b>If you would like to buy some, here are some helpful links that will give you an idea of the prices and shops near you that sell Drops:</b></div>
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<b>US - <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/us/post.php?id=1472" target="_blank">35% Sale on Cotton Yarns</a> (It's worth checking <a href="http://www.nordicmart.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=74&cat=DROPS+Paris" target="_blank">Nordic Mart</a>)</b></div>
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<b>UK - <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/post.php?id=1462" target="_blank">35% Sale on Cotton Yarns</a> (Highly recommend <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn?brand_name=6102" target="_blank">Wool Warehouse</a>)</b></div>
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<b>Europe - It depends on your country but <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/index_lang.php" target="_blank">this link</a> will take you to the main page to start from.</b></div>
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*<b>Australia etc, it's worth looking at which shops ship worldwide. I know that <a href="http://www.thecrochetchain.co.uk/" target="_blank">Crochet Chain</a> does so it's worth checking them out.</b></div>
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Hopefully that info will be helpful to someone! ☺</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TUjMISxsM-4/Udgr6k2rHyI/AAAAAAAABNg/Im230RYHG7Y/s1600/STASH5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TUjMISxsM-4/Udgr6k2rHyI/AAAAAAAABNg/Im230RYHG7Y/s640/STASH5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Phew! We're getting there! Ok, top photo is <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/drops-merino-extra-fine-allcolours" target="_blank">Drops Merino</a>. It's ok yarn, not great. The colours could be better. Honestly, I still prefer <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/special-dk-all-colours" target="_blank">Stylecraft</a>! It was pretty cheap when I bought it. I'm planning on it being a winter lounge blanket as it's Merino so should be lovely and warm.</div>
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Middle photo is <a href="http://www.sewandso.co.uk/Departments/Crafts/DMC-Hoooked--Zpagetti/Zpagetti-Yarn.aspx" target="_blank">Hoooked Zpagetti</a> that is currently being used to make my <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/we-all-have-our-limits.html" target="_blank">rainbow rug</a>! Um, this yarn is great for making rugs but it's very inconsistent. It'll be lovely and thick and then suddenly you will get a metre or so that is too thin to be of use!</div>
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And lastly is more <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/special-dk-all-colours" target="_blank">Stylecraft Special DK</a> (I bet you're getting tired of reading that name). Rainbow colours for many rainbow ideas! I know, I'm obsessed! (Oh and one ball of Patons Fab).</div>
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Ok, we have reached the end! If you've stuck around till the end then well done! If not, I don't blame you! So this is <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/special-dk-all-colours" target="_blank">Stylecraft Special DK</a> but it's for a special project. I planned the colours out at the <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/winter-blues.html" target="_blank">beginning</a> of the year and have since changed a few things and come up with a very different (though not unusual) idea. More on that later in the year. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ge3mmkMlSA/Udgry7yCiXI/AAAAAAAABNQ/BukiT2ye72w/s1600/STASH3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ge3mmkMlSA/Udgry7yCiXI/AAAAAAAABNQ/BukiT2ye72w/s640/STASH3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The scary thing is that I have a bit more yarn coming and another box in the upstairs office which is for a planned quilt style blanket. I think that will be it though! I'm going on a yarn diet! (Yeah, right!)</div>
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So, the above images show you how my yarn used to be stored. In bags, in laundry style bags, in boxes and some just piled up but now............</div>
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Ah! It brings such a MASSIVE smile to my face! It might not be a craft room or a studio and it might not be a huge space or beautifully decorated but it's my own personal little piece of heaven! I am so grateful to my amazingly awesome fiance and equally amazingly awesome dad for helping me sort this all out and for letting me have that space to store all my yarn (and for not complaining when more yarn gets delivered). It's the little things in life that make all the difference. I love them both so much! ♥</div>
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So, I hope you enjoyed your tour of my yarn stash. I won't be posting again this week like I had hoped (my Sunday post will just have to be a Saturday post this week). I will try (but I'm not making any promises) to post sometime in the middle of next week. If not then, then sometime over the weekend. Things have been a bit chaotic and I know I keep saying that but honestly, they have. </div>
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I hope you are all well and please take care! Hopefully, I'll see you all back here again next week! Thanks again for visiting and for all the comments!</div>
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♥</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-39724397633806862972013-06-30T19:24:00.000+01:002013-06-30T19:24:35.385+01:00Think of this as a placeholder!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm running behind on things today. It's been a full week & weekend. Actually, so far, it's been a full & hectic month and I've spent most of it feeling extremely overwhelmed! I'm hoping that things will slow down in July because August is going to be crazy! In fact, it's quite possible that the next 6 months are going to be crazy and possibly not in a good way but I will try my hardest to stay positive because negativity drains energy and I'm going to need all the energy I can get and also because I promised to keep this blog light & happy and I plan on sticking to that! ☺</div>
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I had planned on doing two posts this week. One about some books that I think are worth mentioning and another about my yarn stash and although everything is prepared, it's not in anyway ready to be posted! I'm trying to get the house into order and it's getting there slowly. If you remember, it was on my to-do list and it's on its way to being complete (almost). So hopefully, I'll have plenty to post this week and by next weekend normal blog posting should resume!</div>
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For now I shall leave you with this photo taken last year on our way back from Brecon. Isn't it a stunning view?</div>
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I'm off to put my feet up, crochet and watch some t.v. for a change with my lovely fiance and father!</div>
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I hope you are all well and wish you all the best for the week ahead.</div>
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Take care</div>
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♥</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-23609727082135557182013-06-23T00:00:00.000+01:002013-06-23T00:00:01.968+01:00Catching up time!<div style="text-align: center;">
Hello all! The last few weeks have been pretty hectic for us. Sadly my blog has suffered a little bit but today I'm going to catch you up on everything that I've been up to.</div>
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First, there was Father's Day! I usually try to get my dad something but this year I decided to be different. I cooked him dinner. My first curry (his awesome recipe though). He had to work Saturday night so it was nice for him to come home to his favourite meal after a tough night. </div>
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Sunday morning I cooked up a big breakfast of tomato, onion, scrambled eggs & bacon and then later in the day I made a Lemon cake (in the microwave) with lemon syrup drizzled over the top. It was a lovely relaxed Sunday and I think he enjoyed the rest. I've also finally got him drinking & enjoying green tea ☺ very good for you!</div>
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I made a bag a little over a week ago. I found <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bobwilson123YoutubeCrochetVideos?hc_location=stream" target="_blank">this</a> page on facebook and she has some awesome patterns. My favourite has been the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO5kYGJ7tDg&list=PLBAl2EuIYeKuZ_xEytH8ImrHIhEDbXoea&index=13" target="_blank">cluster stitch bag</a>. I saw an alternative version that someone had made. A larger version of the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO5kYGJ7tDg&list=PLBAl2EuIYeKuZ_xEytH8ImrHIhEDbXoea&index=13" target="_blank">cluster stitch bag</a> but using the handles from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXYp_wSSmy4&list=PLBAl2EuIYeKuZ_xEytH8ImrHIhEDbXoea&index=12" target="_blank">this</a> bag. It's so easy to make. I went digging through my scrap stash, found a few nice colours and started making a bag! </div>
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The double strands make it a lot stronger than most bags. It works up really fast & took about 2 days. I loved making it and plan on doing a few more. This one I decided to give to a lovely friend of mine. She's always helping us out and never asks for anything in return so I gave it to her as a thank you.</div>
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We've been finding it really hard to think of things to eat for dinner lately. I don't if it's the warm weather or the busy weeks but no one is overly fussed about eating. It's all about quick meals and one of the best ones is gnocchi with chicken, onion and a lovely cheese sauce. It was rather yummy! Today my dad is cooking a pork roast so I'm looking forward to a bit a crackling!</div>
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I've been doing a lot of shopping lately. I spotted these colourful plant holders. They were so cheap and the colours were so nice I just had to buy them! I don't know what I'm going to do with them. They might look great somewhere amongst my craft supplies once I sort them out! Their has also been a lot of new yarn coming into the house. I will tell you all about that next week when I take you on a tour of my yarn stash! I've got one last delivery arriving on Monday (hopefully).</div>
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Apart from the bag & the shopping, I've also been testing some colours out for a big project I hope to start before winter (once I finish my dad's massive blanket). I'm testing the colour sequence out on a scarf first, using scraps from my stash. I bought the yarn last year but when I went to catalogue it all, I realised I wasn't happy with some of my choices. My idea has changed & I'll have to buy more for that reason but I want to be sure before I do and so I decided it was best to do the tester scarf. I get a scarf out of it so it's not that bad! My dad's blanket is coming along nicely but I am way behind schedule. They are being stored in these self sealing bags temporarily. I'm also finding that my tension is all over the place with these squares. I just hope it all works out in the end! 133 done 642 to go! Oh & I'm making another scarf. It's for my fiance. It's my own pattern and so far so good. More on that soon!</div>
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Cats! The weather is confusing them! It was so hot for a while that they were sleeping on the floor or in any cool spots they could find but the last 2 weeks have had a few chilly days and so they've been seeking out the warm & cozy spots once again. Tabby & Vinnie actually slept next to each other which is extremely strange because usually they are attacking each other. Moe managed to squeeze himself into Munchkin's bed but only briefly because shortly after that he heard my OH coming down and that meant food time! He also decided that my scrap yarn stash would be the perfect place for a nap! </div>
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Tabby, my beautiful boy! I love it when he poses for me because he's such a beautiful cat! This photo is in the collage below but I just thought it deserved to be on it's own too! As naughty as he is (and believe me he is really naughty) I still love him.</div>
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These fluffy little monsters have been a little bit spoilt this week. Lots of playtime, plenty of treats & catnip and a new toy! The new toy no longer has its feathers. Vinnie removed them within about 5 minutes! They've all been happy. We've been up at 4am everyday and they've been up with us (more for the treats than anything else). At least they get to go back to bed though!</div>
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I had to include this one! It's so funny! This is Moe and his big sister Soetie. He jumped up to see what was on the windowsill and got a slap. The photo makes you feel really sorry for him because he looks all sweet & innocent but believe me he's not. He can be really cute when he wants to but he can also be super naughty! The kittens have definitely taught us just how naughty & adventurous cats can be!<br />
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So that was a bit of catching up! It's been really busy but those were the only things really worth mentioning on the blog! I've also been doing a lot of reading. I've got plenty to share about books & things! So far I've read 33 books this year but there have been a few worth mentioning that lead me to an amazing band & a singer called Jimmy Gnecco but I think I'll save that for another time & another post.<br />
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One last thing I forgot to mention, I was teaching crochet again this week! A lady stopped in at our volunteer centre wanting to learn and after the 2 hr lesson she was able to make a granny square. She was chuffed with her square & will be back next week! It's all voluntary but still enjoyable for me!</div>
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I hope that you've all been well and I wish you all the best for the week ahead! Hope you drop by later in the week for my yarn stash tour! I'll try to make it as colourful as possible!<br />
Thank you for reading my blog and for those that comment, thank you for taking the time! I appreciate it, even a quick glance means the world to me!<br />
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Take care!<br />
♥</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-4465123663145946702013-06-16T18:48:00.000+01:002013-06-16T18:48:12.835+01:00Happy Father's Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's father's day today so I've been busy spoiling my dad because, well, he deserves it! I wanted to share the card I made for him with you all because he's so amazing and I just want the whole world to know! I'm lucky to have such a wonderful dad.</div>
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I also want to say a Happy Father's Day to all the other amazing dads out there! </div>
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I shall do my regular blogpost later this week! I've got a few goodies to share with you but have to wait for them to arrive first! </div>
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Take care lovelies!</div>
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Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-15295462652481356192013-06-09T21:32:00.001+01:002013-06-09T21:32:43.202+01:00Feeling a little sunburnt!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is what the sky has looked like all week! I can't remember the last time we had sunshine for this long & it's made me soooo super duper happy! Summer seems to be in full swing here! We've spent a fair bit of the week outside.</div>
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The beginning of the week started with a bit of playtime! My dad was on night-shift this week and just before he left for his first night of the week the kittens decided it was time to play! They love playing with glittery pom balls so we usually end up having to throw balls up & down the stairs for them to chase after. They also have a tent they play in. Vinnie prefers it upside down!</div>
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Moe had his first adventure outside this week! The weather was so warm on Thursday that we were sat on the kitchen floor, with the door slightly open, enjoying the breeze. He kept showing an interest in the door and so we thought it'd be a good time to try out the leash. I think he enjoyed it but he was still a bit unsure of this strange world (and the leash)! His mother kept a close eye on him! I took him out for a little bit again today and he manged to get himself completely covered in grass!</div>
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I did loads of crochet this week. Mainly on my father's blanket. I'm trying to stick to a schedule with it but I'm struggling. I volunteered to do an event for our volunteer centre on Saturday. Sadly, it didn't go very well. I was there to teach crochet and only taught a bit to my friends daughter. I helped her make the little flower in the corner. (It's a very simple pattern.) I brought a few samples along but didn't have much room to display much of it. </div>
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My fiance helped keep the kids entertained with some drawing on his android tablet. We left early as it was quiet and we had a lot of gardening to do!</div>
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The birds (as usual) have been rather busy. We've had our regulars (doves, magpie, crows, chats, thrush and bullfinch) and some new ones visiting lately. I haven't got a clue what they are yet apart from one that I don't have a photo of. That one was a woodpecker. Sadly, my camera wasn't ready! They certainly are getting very friendly though. While we've been out in the garden, they've been running around digging up warms and eating seeds.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pm6gIflMwk4/UbTVii9fAzI/AAAAAAAABJo/_w5q_lTk-v4/s1600/EarlyMorning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pm6gIflMwk4/UbTVii9fAzI/AAAAAAAABJo/_w5q_lTk-v4/s640/EarlyMorning.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After being so busy on Saturday and being in the sun for so long doing the gardening, I actually fell asleep before 9pm! I slept for nearly 10hrs, apart from waking up for water. So by 8am the next morning, I was sat in the garden with my camera and a cup of coffee while the older cats got a bit of fresh air. It was lovely & breezy! I even squeezed in a bit of reading.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cIxzduOusgM/UbTVpnxzAEI/AAAAAAAABJ4/DrNYTNbYZXs/s1600/Sunnygrasscutting1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="462" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cIxzduOusgM/UbTVpnxzAEI/AAAAAAAABJ4/DrNYTNbYZXs/s640/Sunnygrasscutting1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We've spent the whole weekend sorting out the garden. This was a 2 day job and that was only the back garden. The front will have to wait a little while. My dad did all the mowing & strimming while we raked up the grass & bagged it! I took some before and after photos for you.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3-5f102julA/UbTVfG-8diI/AAAAAAAABJg/Zx8eySNTwqQ/s1600/Blackbird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3-5f102julA/UbTVfG-8diI/AAAAAAAABJg/Zx8eySNTwqQ/s640/Blackbird.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I had to include these photos for you. This blackbird was so funny. While my dad was mowing the lawn, he was running behind him looking for worms. I came out to ask my dad if he'd noticed & he said he'd been watching the little bird. Even after I'd walked down the path, he still carried on. He didn't seem concerned that we were around, he just wanted his grub!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BT1uwuGGDx8/UbTVmRYB2sI/AAAAAAAABJw/R1a32YPSD00/s1600/MowingLawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BT1uwuGGDx8/UbTVmRYB2sI/AAAAAAAABJw/R1a32YPSD00/s640/MowingLawn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here is the after. I didn't get a chance to take another after photo (it's even shorter now). I baked a chocolate cake as a reward for all the hard work! After enjoying his slice of cake, my dad decided it was time to have a short rest before going back out into the sunshine! We are all pretty sunburnt now (due to the lack of sun in the UK, we don't actually have any suncream in the house. Not clever!) and ready for bed!</div>
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As usual, we are about to start another busy week! I hope you've all had a good one and I wish you all the best for the week ahead! Thanks for reading my blog & for the lovely comments.</div>
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Take care & hopefully I'll see you here in a weeks time!</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-49403320850629829672013-06-02T00:00:00.000+01:002013-06-02T00:00:04.325+01:00We all have our limits!<div style="text-align: center;">
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I think I finally reached my limit. After a week of early mornings, days spent constantly on my feet & a week full of cooking, cleaning, crocheting, exercising, reading and everything else, my body has finally told me it's had enough! So this weekend I am planning on seriously relaxing and for that reason I'm going to keep my blog post simple. More photos than writing which I am sure everyone prefers!<br />
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So, this week....<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4U-U3W3gS5k/Uanv9_2yAUI/AAAAAAAABHY/n64onBkiDek/s1600/Lightroom+Edits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4U-U3W3gS5k/Uanv9_2yAUI/AAAAAAAABHY/n64onBkiDek/s640/Lightroom+Edits.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I started reading <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9717320-divergent" target="_blank">Divergent</a>. It's seriously addictive. I ♥ it & highly recommend it! I feel like I've finally found the book I've been searching for over the past few months!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MCEskzjdRlw/Uapw_cGFgOI/AAAAAAAABHo/aCLcqjjnUVE/s1600/Rug%2526skull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MCEskzjdRlw/Uapw_cGFgOI/AAAAAAAABHo/aCLcqjjnUVE/s640/Rug%2526skull.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I crocheted a bit more of the Rainbow rug that I mentioned <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/staying-motivated.html" target="_blank">here</a> & <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/sunshine-rainbows.html" target="_blank">here</a> and a bit more of the Skull shawl that I mentioned <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/life-always-keeping-us-on-our-toes.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I'm finishing off old projects (sort of) & starting new ones!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-llru5-lY8cg/UapxKWYCVcI/AAAAAAAABIA/BfXDSQmqk0Y/s1600/Dads+camo+blanket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-llru5-lY8cg/UapxKWYCVcI/AAAAAAAABIA/BfXDSQmqk0Y/s640/Dads+camo+blanket.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I finished the design for my dad's camouflage style blanket and started making the 775 squares (24 done 751 to go).<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2EH-AT_rqEA/UapxaqQrdWI/AAAAAAAABIo/zD8XfXvG3cI/s1600/Cats%2526Sleep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2EH-AT_rqEA/UapxaqQrdWI/AAAAAAAABIo/zD8XfXvG3cI/s640/Cats%2526Sleep.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We looked after little Moe because he was still unwell. The colitis has stopped for now (we are keeping a close eye on what he eats) but he caught a cold so he's been moping around the house, burrowing under blankets, sneezing & sleeping all week. A few of the others seem to have picked it up as well but all seems well today (hopefully it's all passed).<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LgNYyull4KA/UapxE17GZMI/AAAAAAAABHw/IhHYDNqQcYM/s1600/TheWalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LgNYyull4KA/UapxE17GZMI/AAAAAAAABHw/IhHYDNqQcYM/s640/TheWalk.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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As tired as we both were, we still went for a walk this week and it was lovely! The best part of the walk was smelling the wild garlic. It's so lovely!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dfn0llgfhyU/UapxPaP5WxI/AAAAAAAABIQ/mcgdWGhEvhE/s1600/Birdies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dfn0llgfhyU/UapxPaP5WxI/AAAAAAAABIQ/mcgdWGhEvhE/s640/Birdies.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Our regular visitors were busy feeding themselves. We had a dove that kept appearing in the garden & acting a bit odd. We think it was roosting & enjoying the sun!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ea_P7OeXEKU/UapxM7MDIxI/AAAAAAAABII/FsIwXb_dMPA/s1600/On+A+Drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ea_P7OeXEKU/UapxM7MDIxI/AAAAAAAABII/FsIwXb_dMPA/s640/On+A+Drive.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once my dad came home from work, the men went to town to do some shopping & I came along for the ride. I sat in the back & did some crochet. It was great to have some chill time!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bIcx5rRH0cU/UapxHGwP5GI/AAAAAAAABH4/cFJZ5KAeRBg/s1600/Cook%2526bake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bIcx5rRH0cU/UapxHGwP5GI/AAAAAAAABH4/cFJZ5KAeRBg/s640/Cook%2526bake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I baked some bread and a chocolate cake. The chocolate cake was the simplest recipe ever. It's 240g of chocolate spread mixed with 4 eggs (whisked until they triple in size) and then baked in the oven for 30mins. It makes a flat cake but so yummy! My dad treated us to steaks (a luxury that we don't have very often) tonight & they were so lush! We had chocolate cake & ice-cream for dessert.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tAd6uHpWr5w/UapxVsHHoLI/AAAAAAAABIg/1pmR-vl2vIQ/s1600/CatsOutnAbout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tAd6uHpWr5w/UapxVsHHoLI/AAAAAAAABIg/1pmR-vl2vIQ/s640/CatsOutnAbout.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And lastly, we went outside for a little bit to enjoy the sun. Tabby disappears every time but the girls (Socks & Bella) just sunbathe in the garden so I get to photograph them. It was fun but we didn't stay out long as it was a bit too warm for them.<br />
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Ok, so that was my week. I've been getting up at 4am everyday (including Saturday) because my poor dad has been on the early shift & I've been making breakfast etc. So right now we are all exhausted and ready to get a good nights sleep & looking forward to sleeping in on Sunday! He's worked nearly 2 weeks without a weekend. He's pretty amazing but he seriously needs a break!<br />
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Take care all & best wishes for the week ahead!<br />
♥</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-38479024032481397792013-06-01T12:46:00.001+01:002013-06-01T12:46:25.235+01:00Scrappy Rainbow Ripple!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nJaLjMeoxsg/UanNQVcrTyI/AAAAAAAABGo/0T4JUbNaZkU/s1600/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nJaLjMeoxsg/UanNQVcrTyI/AAAAAAAABGo/0T4JUbNaZkU/s640/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I started this back in February. Do you <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013_03_03_archive.html" target="_blank">remember</a>? At last! It's finished! Done! Complete! As I got near the finish line I encountered a few tiny issues. One was straightening the ripple top & bottom and the other was the border. I ran out of yarn! I honestly didn't expect that to happen seeing as how it's meant to be a ripple from 'scraps' but somehow even scrap projects always seem to result in the purchase of more yarn!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t6IWFh2LTzU/UanNfpkYwGI/AAAAAAAABHA/xOCBJGTCKi8/s1600/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t6IWFh2LTzU/UanNfpkYwGI/AAAAAAAABHA/xOCBJGTCKi8/s640/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I honestly didn't know how this would turn out. I always keep stocked up on all <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/special-dk-all-colours" target="_blank">Stylecraft Special DK</a> yarn so I had a great selection of colours available. There were a lot of leftovers from previous projects but this was also about using colours I'd never tried before.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ctohm11pwzU/UanNkkc46KI/AAAAAAAABHI/uXkr1lpoZVE/s1600/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ctohm11pwzU/UanNkkc46KI/AAAAAAAABHI/uXkr1lpoZVE/s640/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There were only 3 or 4 colours that I'd never used. Pale Rose, Pomegranate, Denim and Raspberry (I've used it once but never liked it). All the others are frequently in my stash. I also went for a different & maybe slightly unusual colour sequence and because of the inter-locking it worked. The border is pretty basic but it works nicely. I used a 3.5mm hook because I wanted the stitches to be tighter and my tension tends to be very loose.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qsVNUGdtSqE/UanNF6RwmvI/AAAAAAAABGY/GT5_dH-vmA8/s1600/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qsVNUGdtSqE/UanNF6RwmvI/AAAAAAAABGY/GT5_dH-vmA8/s640/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Moe (who has had <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013_04_21_archive.html" target="_blank">his eye on it</a> since I started the ripple) didn't take long to claim it! He's very happy with his blanket. As mentioned in my <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/life-always-keeping-us-on-our-toes.html" target="_blank">previous post</a>, he has been a little unwell and this week he's had a bit of a cold so the blanket has brought him a lot of comfort. He loves to snuggle into any/all of the crochet blankets (we have at least 8 out in various places regularly).<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QgsagKvEqxk/UanNMTdwH4I/AAAAAAAABGg/eQu8YmeolYw/s1600/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QgsagKvEqxk/UanNMTdwH4I/AAAAAAAABGg/eQu8YmeolYw/s640/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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He wasn't overly happy about sharing it with Tabby (who has also had his eye on it)! There was a bit of a slapping match. Even though there are so many blankets in the house, a recently finished one is always the most popular. Even his brother, Vinnie, has <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013_03_10_archive.html" target="_blank">tried the blanket</a> out a few times!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qtgr_WoLFIg/UanNTi_KrGI/AAAAAAAABGw/2zkwvse1inQ/s1600/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qtgr_WoLFIg/UanNTi_KrGI/AAAAAAAABGw/2zkwvse1inQ/s640/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We were so lucky to have a beautiful sunny day when I photographed the blanket. The sun added so much warmth to every photo which made me so happy. It's not a very big blanket. It's about 1.7m long and 1m wide but it's perfect for it's new home.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Rkqv1qt8fQ/UanNZIJf8LI/AAAAAAAABG4/B8AdsDLtlSI/s1600/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Rkqv1qt8fQ/UanNZIJf8LI/AAAAAAAABG4/B8AdsDLtlSI/s640/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And here it is, in it's new home! It really adds so much colour, warmth & happiness to the lounge and to the chair that it will be covering. My rainbow granny square is on the sofa opposite it & together I know they'll bring me so much joy in winter! I've not listed all the colours I used but if anyone would like me to just let me know. ☺<br />
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Hope you've enjoyed my colourful post! I'll be posting my regular, weekly blog post tomorrow so hopefully I'll see you back here then!<br />
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Thank you for reading!<br />
♥<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*The pattern I used for my scrappy rainbow ripple can be found on the lovely <a href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/neat-ripple-pattern.html" target="_blank">Attic24 blog</a>.</span></div>
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Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-68476913939958667482013-05-26T18:10:00.000+01:002013-05-26T18:12:43.236+01:00Life, always keeping us on our toes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aWQ0KZOVjJU/UaIagxizvVI/AAAAAAAABFk/y26k09FNwPs/s1600/Moe+Not+Well.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aWQ0KZOVjJU/UaIagxizvVI/AAAAAAAABFk/y26k09FNwPs/s640/Moe+Not+Well.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This little boy hasn't been very well this week. Yes, poor Moe had a (very expensive but he's worth it) trip to the vets on Tuesday. He gave us a rather nasty fright when we woke up and so our morning started with a mad panic. We were rushing around trying to sort out a cage and find out if the vet was even open (thank goodness it was). I'll spare you the gory details and just tell you that he is ok now. He's back to his usual naughty self. He has colitis (he's always had some issues) so we'll have to be careful what he eats in future otherwise it will be another expensive trip. ♥</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4sjUcOZpw58/UaIacz6QXKI/AAAAAAAABFU/zP7VWaNV0aI/s1600/Things.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4sjUcOZpw58/UaIacz6QXKI/AAAAAAAABFU/zP7VWaNV0aI/s640/Things.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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These are a few things that made me happy this week. </div>
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<li>Blue skies! We had a few of them for a change. It was lovely and when it started to rain towards the end of the week, it was actually more relaxing than annoying. I love the smell of rain, especially after a week of warm weather.</li>
<li>The jewelry type thing on the right is an angel. I was given it last week by a lovely lady that stopped in where I volunteer. She said that all of life's heroes need an angel to watch over them. I was having a tough day & it really made me smile. ♥</li>
<li>I found some leaves in our garden in the shape of hearts. They are from our little rose bush that was grown from the stem of a shop bought rose that was given to me by my fiance a few years ago. We get about 2 or 3 <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kxpVs83lVyk/UaFBtpYe60I/AAAAAAAABEg/TYPr2MOEs5c/s1600/Roses+In+Bloom+Template.jpg" target="_blank">roses</a> a year from it. I'm keeping a close eye on it!</li>
<li>And lastly...I sneakily took a photo of my fiance. He was having some much needed rest. It's been a tough week (more so for my dad who worked two 14hr shifts with only 5hrs of sleep in between) but we've struggled through & there have been many happy moments to help. Our weeks are busy and sometimes it feels like our weekends are even busier. We're trying to find the balance but it's an uphill battle.</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drops Extra Fine Merino</td></tr>
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Say hello to my <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/drops-merino-extra-fine-allcolours" target="_blank">new yarn stash</a>! I couldn't resist. My order even arrived with a free gift from the lovely people at <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wool Warehouse</a>. I've been buying yarn from them for nearly a year now & they've never let me down. I honestly can't recommend them enough! I've had a lovely stash of <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/yarn.php?id=21" target="_blank">DROPS Paris</a> for a few years (bought when the label was black) but never used it because at the time it wasn't easy to purchase in the UK so I was waiting for the right project. I love <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/yarnoverview.php" target="_blank">DROPS</a> yarn. They have a lovely range of <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn?brand_name=6102" target="_blank">yarns</a> and at a decent price so I was overjoyed when I realised that my favourite shop (<a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wool Warehouse</a>) were selling it. I've had my eye on the <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/yarn.php?id=82" target="_blank">DROPS Extra Fine Merino</a> for a long time so when it went on sale I knew I was going to purchase some as soon as I'd saved up enough money. I ordered one of every colour late Wednesday night, order arrived Friday afternoon, checked to see how they go together & then quickly ordered a second lot (with a few extras that I'll photograph next week) which arrived Saturday morning! See how fast <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/" target="_blank">they</a> are? It's all going to be used to make a warm, snugly winter blanket.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JvhGvz5fbYk/UaIaa-0h9nI/AAAAAAAABFM/fv5_J6aiKtA/s1600/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JvhGvz5fbYk/UaIaa-0h9nI/AAAAAAAABFM/fv5_J6aiKtA/s640/Scrappy+Rainbow+Ripple1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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(The blur on the left is Moe about to burrow into the blanket while I'm trying to photograph it)</div>
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The rainbow scrappy ripple is finally done! It would've been finished on Thursday if I hadn't run out of yarn halfway through the border. Thank goodness <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wool Warehouse</a> are so reliable otherwise I'd still be sitting here with an unfinished ripple! The colour I needed arrived with my DROPS order on Saturday morning. Isn't it funny how we almost always end up buying new yarn when making something from leftover scraps? </div>
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I had planned on doing a separate post for the ripple earlier in the week but hit a few road blocks along the way (straightening a ripple is not easy & running out of yarn is not helpful either) so now it's going to have to be sometime this week. Maybe Monday?</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sHs28CHx4ZU/UaIaluthQ3I/AAAAAAAABF0/h5D2MCO9ytI/s1600/Neck+Warmer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sHs28CHx4ZU/UaIaluthQ3I/AAAAAAAABF0/h5D2MCO9ytI/s640/Neck+Warmer.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Have you seen the <a href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/cosy-neck-warmer.html" target="_blank">neck warmer pattern</a> over at <a href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/" target="_blank">Attic24</a>? I've been itching to try it! Sunday was a lovely relaxed day so I sat down and gave it a go. It really is an easy pattern and keeps you lovely and warm but I think I'll put it away till winter. I'm planning to make another one with chunky yarn, using a different pattern I found. It can also be used as a hood. I will provide a link to the pattern when I post about it.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cbyp0Ee1PJ4/UaIaU_8TNmI/AAAAAAAABE8/U334dkudG2Y/s1600/Skull+Wrap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cbyp0Ee1PJ4/UaIaU_8TNmI/AAAAAAAABE8/U334dkudG2Y/s640/Skull+Wrap.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Friday was the best day of this week. I baked, relaxed, read a bit, had a cappuccino & started a new project. I am totally in love with <a href="http://kungenomajkis.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/virkad-doskallesjal-med-monster.html" target="_blank">this</a> pattern at the moment! It's very popular right now & has been tempting me for a while. I found some <a href="https://www.masonsneedlecraft.co.uk/zcart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_14_49_97&products_id=555" target="_blank">King Cole Riot yarn</a> in my stash and decided that this would be the perfect project for it!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fxXRYPpUWAQ/UaIa_mHArFI/AAAAAAAABGE/pXiQmcjfr1E/s1600/20130525-DSC_2444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fxXRYPpUWAQ/UaIa_mHArFI/AAAAAAAABGE/pXiQmcjfr1E/s640/20130525-DSC_2444.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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At first it seemed really hard & I've never made anything like this before so a bit scary but once I got going it was easy! If I can do it, anyone can! I think I'll be spending my week working on this. Not sure how I'm going to block it but I'll figure that out when I get to that stage!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pgbQm1Q61Ww/UaIaYPZv0hI/AAAAAAAABFE/4OGxY_QojMM/s1600/Birds2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="562" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pgbQm1Q61Ww/UaIaYPZv0hI/AAAAAAAABFE/4OGxY_QojMM/s640/Birds2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The birds are still very busy in our garden! Currently we have crows, the occasional ring-necked dove & a magpie visiting us. There are a few little birds as well but I can't remember what they're called. They've been enjoying bits of bread & seeded crackers. Can you see how close they are? I got some great photos this week. They sit right on the shed roof which is outside the kitchen window. The magpie likes to taunt me. He/she will sit on the shed roof and just stare so I'll grab my camera and as I go to take a photo, it flies off! If it had happened once I'd think it just got scared by movement but this happens regularly! Cheeky bird!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t6fe0OkegGo/UaIaijQLNFI/AAAAAAAABFs/lDIui-zsorQ/s1600/Bird+Watchers+Anonymous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t6fe0OkegGo/UaIaijQLNFI/AAAAAAAABFs/lDIui-zsorQ/s640/Bird+Watchers+Anonymous.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Moe & Vinnie....members of Bird Watchers Anonymous! Moe spends most of the day talking to them and Vinnie just watches. Can you see the photo of Vinnie scowling? I'm not sure why he was in such a bad mood! It couldn't possible be because of my camera ;) </div>
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I'm not to sure why Moe's tongue is out....maybe he was thinking about having bird for dinner?</div>
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And because they all need their 5 minutes of fame...here is a collage of all of them & what they've been up to this week! The only one I didn't get a photo of this week was Bella so I'll have to make up for it next time.</div>
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So, this has been a very long blog post but thank you for reading (or just looking at the photos). I hope you've had a lovely week and I wish you all the best for the week ahead. Please stop by again in the week to see my Scrappy Rainbow Ripple post!</div>
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Take care</div>
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♥</div>
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<br />Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-74316268080232467972013-05-25T00:06:00.000+01:002013-05-26T00:08:01.950+01:00Chaotic lives & blog posts!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am so sorry if my blog posts have been a bit muddled up over the last 2 weeks. My father & fiance kindly told me that my previous posts (loaded with sooo many cat photos) made me look like a crazy cat lady! Cheeky men! I set myself a goal this year that I would start a blog and post once a week and I'm trying as hard as I can to achieve that goal but sometimes our weeks are so hectic and tiring that when the weekend comes around, all we want to do is relax, do our own thing and spend a bit of time together as a family.</div>
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I have so much respect for those of you that can produce such wonderful posts so often in the week. I've never been good at the written stuff so putting a blog post together takes a lot of time and patience. The photos and collages are easy but it's getting those sentences down, knowing what to say, hoping my mind doesn't go blank as I start to type and hoping it actually makes sense that is the hard part.<br />
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So please, bare with me as I get to grips with our chaotic life and blogging! I promise I have lots of crochet goodies to share tomorrow & plenty of other things (and yes, possibly more cats)! ☺</div>
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<b>A massive THANK YOU to each & every one of you that read my little blog, especially those that comment! ♥</b></div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-23808132538880748392013-05-19T12:30:00.001+01:002013-05-22T19:47:06.891+01:00Cats, Cats!!! All you need is cats!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello! I hope you've all had a lovely week. It's been another busy & tiring one for us. The photo above was my view by the end of Monday. I was so tired once all the cleaning was done that I decided to sit on the kitchen floor & read while dinner was cooking! It also gave me a chance to admire my hard work...look how shiny that floor is! (It didn't last long)</div>
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We had some visitors on Sunday evening. There was a lot of noise outside so we went to check it out and found these two cheeky chaps outside. I think we had interrupted their fight!</div>
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Once the door was shut it wasn't long before they were off chasing each other again!</div>
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I've enjoyed a healthy diet this week. Avocado, plums, pomegranates and salads. Yum! I've also been experimenting with a cake recipe but at the moment it's still a work in progress. </div>
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I managed to sneak in a tiny bit (very very tiny bit) of crochet. All the ends have been sewn in on the ripple and now I'm just stuck on the border. It's never easy picking the right colours for a border on a rainbow blanket. I've got a bit of time today to just relax so hopefully I can get some crochet done.</div>
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Our garden has been very active lately. We've had all sorts of birds visiting us. Our favourite is the Magpie. He comes to tell us when the food needs topping up and also hints when he feels like some cat food. We are very fortunate to live in an area where there is a lot of wild life and people are encouraged to look after them as much as they can. </div>
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We finally went on our shopping trip to Swansea! We'd been planning it for a few months but just never got round to it and it's a fairly long journey for us so we don't do it often. The first thing we did was stop by Starbucks for something to wake us up after the long trip. The staff were lovely and friendly. There was a bit of much needed clothing shopping done (I'm not a fan of shopping unless it's for yarn) and a few other odds & ends. It was a tough day for my OH who was in a lot of pain after an hour or so of walking around so it was a huge relief when everything was done and we were able to sit down and have some lunch at Costa Coffee. Expensive but the food was nice, it was right near the bus stop & my OH wanted to treat me but in future I think we will definitely take packed lunches!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T7f61DdV74c/UZgDCqE50HI/AAAAAAAABCU/NvP0ECoEwjQ/s1600/CATS2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T7f61DdV74c/UZgDCqE50HI/AAAAAAAABCU/NvP0ECoEwjQ/s640/CATS2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So, all I've got to share with you this week is lots of cats! They've spent a lot of time playing with water. I honestly don't know where their obsession with water has come from but they love it. Soetie is the worst one. She runs into the bathroom & kitchen and waits for you to put the tap on. She likes to attack the drops & watch the water run!</div>
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I managed to catch Moe playing with the water this week. Usually he runs off as soon as he sees the camera. He likes to drink the water from the tap and catch it in his paws. There are quite a few interesting shots of him. Funny little boy! </div>
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Lots of sleeping & relaxing was done this week just like every other week. Soetie has taken over Sock's bed and has been catching the sun. Vinnie had a lazy play...he likes to relax on the floor, under the blanket and play with the ball track...lazy play! Tabby likes to sit near me while I crochet or do things on the laptop.</div>
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We brought home a paper bag for them to play with from our shopping trip (you always have to bring something home for them) because we know how much they love them. They've been fighting over it. At the moment it is being used as a bed. </div>
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It's not only humans that do bird-watching...cats do it to! Although that might have more to do with their bellies! We are providing entertainment for the cats by feeding the birds. They make so many funny noises while watching them! Most of this has been happening at 6am, ideal bird-watching time!</div>
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The kittens <a href="http://arcofcolour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/happy-2nd-birthday-kittens.html" target="_blank">birthday</a> was yesterday and they did get a little bit spoilt. They had a very yummy breakfast and then kindly posed briefly for me to get a few photos. Of course the older cats make the most of it because we spoil them to!</div>
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Then we had play time for a bit. They love to play with glittery pom balls so we hunted some down for them. You do have to be careful because tinsel can be dangerous but we keep an eye on them and the tinsel is stuck in the ball & isn't very long. We did try the tinsel free ones but they weren't shiny enough to keep them interested. We have a few toys hidden that we bring out now and then. String can be dangerous and so we try not to leave it lying around. Vinnie has a habit of chewing anything that is attached with string. He's like the health & safety officer. So my OH played with them while I took photos, until they were all exhausted! It was a fun day and I think we all enjoyed it.</div>
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I'm sorry my blog has been extremely packed with cats this week. Sometimes this feels a bit like a diary of our lives, a bit of history for us to look back through and it's nice to have that. I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to memories. They are the only things I really collect ☺</div>
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Thank you for reading my blog, for all the lovely comments and for still coming back even when I'm bombarding you with cats, cats & more cats! Hope to see you all again next week!</div>
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♥</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-19208945508591804162013-05-18T20:32:00.002+01:002013-05-19T01:04:43.421+01:00Happy 2nd Birthday Kittens!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today our little kittens are a whole 2 years old! I can't believe that these beautiful fluffy cuties have been in our lives, causing chaos and constantly keeping us entertained for 2 years. </div>
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Our lives haven't been the same since the day they arrived. So much has changed and most of it for the better. We never planned on keeping them because we already had 4 cats to look after and times are hard but the day they were born we knew that there was no way we could let go. </div>
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It's especially hard when you've brought them up and watched over them nearly 24hrs a day. The first few weeks were tough because Moe was very small and didn't seem to be eating enough so we had to monitor him. They had to be weighed everyday to make sure they were growing. At first we nicknamed them V (because he had a V shaped mark on his little head), M (because he had a white stripe that looked like a mohican) and B (for blacky because she was black). </div>
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We thought that Soetie (B) was a boy because she was so big but it didn't take us long to figure out otherwise. They were so cute and a little funny looking. Their heads were too big for their bodies and they had short stubby tails and wobbled when they ran but they were so fun to watch.</div>
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Once we had officially decided to keep them, we decided to officially name them. Vinnie, Moe (Mosely) and Soetie. I've got loads of videos and pictures of them. We spent many hours watching them sleep, explore and play. The chaos began the day they figured out how to climb out of their sleeping zone/pen!</div>
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It was just go, go, go, go from then on...everything was a climbing frame, everything was edible and everything was a toy! The only time we got any peace & quiet was when they were sleeping and even that didn't last long! We didn't mind though, they had us all wrapped around their little paws!</div>
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I still can't get over how small they were! And those blue eyes! They were like little balls of fur...extremely cute balls of fur!</div>
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They really did grow fast and I'm glad we were able to capture & experience it all. I apologise for all the photos but their cuteness is just irresistible. I had only planned on sharing a few but I just couldn't decide between all the photos I've got and I guess I just wanted to share this incredible journey they have taken us on over the years.</div>
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They have kept us so busy and turned our lives upside down. Having kittens in the house is almost the same as having toddlers around. You have to kitten proof your house otherwise all sorts of things happen. We found that out the hard way. Let's just say that we have a lot less ornaments! You also worry about them constantly. We were nervous wrecks the day they had to go in to be fixed (we had it done ASAP as we really couldn't afford any more cats) and have their jabs. It was such a relief when the vet rang to say they were ok and we could pick them up in a few hours. There was lots of cuddles when they got home!</div>
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And gosh don't they love to play! All the time! Especially first thing in the morning after breakfast! They run around the house chasing each other like little maniacs. We have a trug full of toys just for them. The whole house is just one giant play pen for cats!</div>
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Their first Christmas was an adventure for us & them. The tree didn't last long before it came crashing down. We ended up buying a new one the following year. They just loved everything about Christmas.</div>
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So, this is them a year after they were born. Our precious little furbabies ♥ </div>
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And this is them now, 2 years old and still as active as they always have been! Still playful, crazy and full of nonsense but still filling our home with so much love, joy & happiness. I honestly couldn't & would never want to imagine life without any of them!</div>
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Happy 2nd Birthday Vinnie, Mosely and Soetie!</div>
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♥</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-2532391878716795292013-05-12T13:12:00.000+01:002013-05-12T13:12:02.618+01:00Happy Mother's Day!<div style="text-align: center;">
I didn't forget, honest! In the UK we have already had Mother's Day but because my mom is in Africa and I am in the UK, she gets to celebrate it twice. I know it doesn't quite make up for us not being able to spend it together but it is something!</div>
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So here is a little something I made for her. I hope she gets a chance to see it!</div>
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And, I've not forgotten about all you amazing mothers out there. <b>Happy Mother's Day</b> to each and everyone of you. Thank you for being the hardest workers in the world...I don't think anyone else works 24hrs a day! You have the hardest but most rewarding jobs. I hope that you are all being spoilt today by all your precious children. Sending plenty of hugs to you all!</div>
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Wow, would you look at that.....2 posts in one day! Don't forget to check out the previous post and in case I've forgotten to say it before, thank you for reading my little blog!</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-48002956898647803592013-05-12T01:03:00.001+01:002013-05-12T13:39:15.562+01:00Staying motivated!<div style="text-align: center;">
Ok, let's start with the important question! What do you think of my new banner? I'm still umming and aaaaing over it...I just felt like a change!</div>
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I know the above photo is an old one but it reflects how I felt this week! Don't you hate it when you just don't have the energy in the week to get everything done? I've been up at 4am every morning (because my dad's been on the early shift) and am still behind with all my projects! I'm too embarrassed to list all my current incomplete projects! (The list is unbelievably long). My reason for being behind is a mixture of lacking motivation & being unwell. (And possibly a slightly bad habit of continuously starting new projects)</div>
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I did sort of conquer circles this week. I threw caution to the wind and just dived into making my rainbow rug. I don't want to show you too much of it just yet but here are a few sneaky photos. I'm planning on it being finished by next week and am hoping I will have enough <a href="http://www.sewandso.co.uk/Departments/Crafts/DMC-Hoooked--Zpagetti/Zpagetti-Yarn.aspx" target="_blank">Hoooked Zpagetti</a> left for another one.</div>
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We now have not one, but two cat beds in our house! I started one on Sunday but this time it's actually all my own pattern & I wrote it down as I went along (I've not forgotten about the heart, honest! I'm still trying to figure that one out). This bed was mainly made for Socks (it's extra large) but everyone has tried it out including Mr Vinnie (as seen above). I plan on making at least two more, still using my leftover stash!</div>
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We had one or two sunny days this week. Tuesday was probably the warmest and so the older cats went out for a wander. I followed shortly after with my camera. It was the last of the lovely weather. We had planned to go for another picnic on Wednesday but it was far too wet & windy and I was unwell!</div>
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So from Wednesday our week went downhill. My poor dad was exhausted from the early starts and my fiance had more aches & pains than usual (I blame the weather). I ended up spending more time resting & reading and being taken care of by my wonderful fiance than I did crocheting & walking. The only good thing about my dad being on the early shift is that he insists on making dinner every night because he's home. Can't really complain about that! I ♥ his cooking! He made chilli con carne on Sunday & it was super yummy! All of the meals this week have been super yummy!</div>
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Speaking of cooking...he made brunch for all of us on Saturday morning. It was delicious! I had an omelette and a slice of toast with bacon, tomato and onion. Yum! The men had the usual big breakfast of eggs, bacon, tomato, onion and toast. I then treated us all to a 5 minute chocolate cake in a mug (my own recipe). It was surprisingly good for a microwaved pudding! Oh & can you see that there are 3 yolks in the photo of the eggs? We had one with a double yolk! First time for us ☺</div>
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The scrappy rainbow ripple is nearing the finish line. I feel like I say that every week but honest, it is! Sewing in all those ends seems to be taking forever! I had an assistant last night. Munchkin was after cuddles. It's not easy balancing a cat in your arms while trying to sew in ends but I managed!</div>
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And yes, we can't forget the cats! They've had a busy week of playing and sleeping. Munchkin enjoyed the sunshine on Sunday! She actually poked her head out from her little cat nest (she hardly ever leaves it) for a few hours to feel the warmth.<br />
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Tabby moaned (he's old) a lot & slept. Sometimes he likes to play but not nearly as much as the naughty kittens. He does join in with them occasionally but most of the time he's just grouchy uncle Tabby! He just wants to be outside 24/7 but only so he can beat up the neighbourhood cats! He's still my little baby though ♥<br />
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Soetie (sadly I've not got any photos of her this week because she's always hiding) mostly slept and watched the water running in the bathroom, Socks (seen in the cat bed photos) enjoyed her new bed & slept & played....Bella slept & slept some more and had the occasional crazy half hour & occasional loving moment with her kids. Moe enjoyed watching a few home videos from when he was a kitten (he actually sat & watched them with us) and was his usual naughty but extremely cute self! He's the one on the yellow,red & orange granny stripe. He's the toddler of the family. ☺<br />
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Vinnie assisted with breakfast (we caught him licking the eggs). He also did a lot of whining and playing. Not that much sleeping. He's Mr Mischief! Full of nonsense & constantly after treats. At night, when we are all in bed and the lights are off, he sits on the banister rail and yells until someone gives him attention! He's also far too clever!<br />
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What a life hey? Eat, sleep & play...Lucky little spoilt monsters ♥<br />
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I hope this post doesn't come off as rushed. I've got a busy weekend & week ahead so I've had to try and get this done in less time than usual but I'll make it up to you. I might (depending on how the week goes) post more than once this coming week. We shall see! I'm not going to post any goals either ☺ I'll just let this week play out! I hope that you've all had a more productive week than me and I wish you all the best for the week ahead! Hope to see you back here soon!<br />
♥</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-37089592272716829052013-05-05T01:50:00.000+01:002013-05-12T13:40:11.200+01:00Sunshine & Rainbows!<div style="text-align: center;">
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Ok, so I think I achieved most of my goals this week...most! The thing is, I sort of forgot about a few other tasks that had to be done. Sadly the rainbow ripple is still sitting on the unfinished pile. I don't know why I keep putting it to the side but hopefully this week it will be done! The rainbow runner is coming along nicely but it will definitely need blocking! As for the granny CAL, I've not given up on it but I've not had the time to catch up. Once I do then I will! Ok, so.......</div>
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I did manage to fit in some cappuccino time in between all my various tasks. Healthy cappuccinos of course! No sugar and lactofree milk but still yummy! We are still eating very healthy here in our happy home. Lots of fruit & salads. We tried something different this week. Pita bread stuffed with chicken and salad. Yum!<br />
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I just wanted to include this picture on my blog. It's an example of how I plan nearly all my crochet projects. I usually use Paint or Excel to plan them out and play with colours. I then go and play with my jar of swatches to see what works. I love playing with colours. My thing at the moment is rainbows. I'm playing with different colour orders.<br />
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Circles, circles, circles! They have been driving me crazy all week! I still can't get my circle to stay flat. I tried a slightly bigger hook and it was a small improvement but I might have to go one more size up. I honestly thought my tension was too lose but according to my little crochet bible it's because my tension is too tight...that can't be right can it? The one in the photo above is having other issues. It's ruffling. I have the right number of stitches but it's just not working out. I've also come across a new issue...octagons! The bigger the circle gets, the more octagon shaped it becomes. I won't give up! I will conquer circles!!!</div>
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Especially because I purchased all this beautiful <a href="http://www.sewandso.co.uk/Departments/Crafts/DMC-Hoooked--Zpagetti/Zpagetti-Yarn.aspx" target="_blank">Hoooked Zpagetti</a> yarn this week! Isn't it lovely? It did make a very large dent in my piggy bank but hopefully it will all be worth it. I can't wait to get started on my rainbow rug! I'm super duper excited about it! Can you sense a rainbow theme going on? Oh & yes, I know! I went and bought more yarn and I've still not sorted out my stash! It's just growing everyday! I can't help it...I'm a yarnaholic! </div>
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I didn't get round to showing you my lovely new pens, notebook and shopping list pad that I bought last week. The shopping list pad has a magnet on the back & can actually stay on the fridge. It's awesome! The pen is part of a set of 3 & has a lovely pattern all over it and the notebook is just gorgeous. It was the birds and flowers on the front that caught my eye. I also bought a friendship bracelet maker. I used to love making these but always used a safety pin to keep everything in place. These days they have these cool 'makers' that do it for you! I can't wait to try it out!</div>
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The waistcoat is done. I know it wasn't one of my goals of the week but that's only because I had forgotten about it. This was for a friend's granddaughter. It's the same pattern I used before, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lacy-cardigans-and-hat" target="_blank">Sirdar Lacy Cardigans & Hat</a>.......but this time I used the yarn that she gave me in the colour they wanted/needed it in. She was happy with it and I was happy that it was done and out of the way. It took me a few hours to make but I spread it out over a few days. The second time was much easier than the first but I don't plan on making another.</div>
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More cat beds were on the agenda this week! I saw this <a href="http://www.thezenofmaking.com/2013/02/tutorial-super-bulky-crocheted-cat-bed.html" target="_blank">pattern</a> mentioned on my favourite facebook page (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Creative-Crochet-Crew/142317845834754?ref=ts&fref=ts" target="_blank">The Creative Crochet Crew</a>) and had to make one. I made a lot of adjustments to it but got the general idea from there. It has been claimed many times over the past few days so I can tell that I'll be spending next week making a few more. Good thing I had all that yarn leftover! I made it for Bella (she's the one in the pic) because she is so tiny and needs a little warm place but her daughter (who is much larger) keeps stealing it from her. Like I said, it's constantly being claimed by a different cat.</div>
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I baked! At last! I finally managed to squeeze in some baking. I made nutty muffins with a surprise chocolate centre. They were yum & the perfect Saturday afternoon treat! My father and fiance were greeted with a cup of a tea & a muffin when they returned from doing the shopping. Big smiles all around. I ♥ these two special men so much. I am so lucky to have them in my life. We'll enjoy the last few muffins tomorrow while watching the Motogp! ☺</div>
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Yay for sunny weather! We had a few lovely warm days this week. Look at that beautiful blue sky!</div>
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Yay for flowers, leaves and lots of colours! Total awesomeness!</div>
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My fiance and I decided to go for a picnic down by the river. We spent half an hour walking and enjoying the scenery. It was so nice to be able to leave the house without our winter coats!</div>
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We then walked back to the little park/playground to have our picnic. We were there for well over an hour. We spent most of it laughing and talking and just enjoying each other's company. It was a lovely day. ♥</div>
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And of course we can't forget the cats. They've been busy misbehaving, relaxing, playing and just being way too cute and entertaining. The kittens will be 2 years old next week! I can't believe we've had them in our lives for that long. They have brought so much life into our home ♥</div>
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Ok, so once again, that was my week! It's been busy and I did get a lot done but not all of my goals unfortunately. I did read though! I finished 2 books this week. Neither were worth mentioning but I'm hoping my current one will be. </div>
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<b>My goals for the week ahead:</b></div>
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<li style="text-align: left;"><b>Complete the rainbow ripple!</b></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><b>Sort my yarn stash!</b></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><b>Conquer circles!</b></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><b>Read two books!</b></li>
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<b>Let's see if I can get all those done!</b></div>
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It's a bank holiday here on Monday but my poor dad has to work. I'll be getting up at 4am everyday to get his breakfast made & his lunch ready. Hopefully this means that I'll fit lots into my days! </div>
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I hope you've all had an enjoyable week and I wish you all the best for the week ahead. See you next Sunday! x</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-7729735409632648292013-04-28T12:37:00.001+01:002013-05-12T13:40:45.505+01:00Once upon a gloomy week....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've not got much to say or share this week. It's been a bit all over place in our house. I started the week off feeling very unwell so wasn't in the mood to do much of anything apart from the important weekly chores. My dad's been on night shift this week which is always exhausting for him & means very early morning for all of us and my OH had a pretty bad week in terms of pain.</div>
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The weather has not been on our side and so instead of our usual walk we went walking through our little town and the cameras stayed at home. I managed to take one photo with my phone. It's not a very good one but it does a good job of showing you just how gloomy it was! </div>
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Here is another photo. This photo was taken during our walk down to the bus stop on our usual volunteering day. Another gloomy day. It's also gotten very cold again and I find I am really craving the sun!</div>
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Another mobile phone photo but I wanted to include it because it's the only time I've managed to get a picture of Soetie doing this. She is obsessed with running water! In the early morning when I come down to fill the kettle, she runs down with me and jumps in the sink. She then waits for me to put the tap on so it drips and she can catch the drops. If I let it trickle, she sits and watches it. Cats are such strange but extremely intriguing animals!</div>
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We went shopping on Friday for our big monthly shop. I got distracted briefly by these cute & funny looking toys! I can't help myself! I have a thing for cute cuddly toys but it's even worse when they have a sticker that says try me...I just have to press it! After all the hard work was done, my dad treated us to lunch. </div>
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We've definitely eaten well this week! There have been the occasional very yummy treats (cinnamon swirls, cheesy pretzels, cheese sticks & the most amazing tasting cinnamon bun) but we've also eaten a lot of salads. When you've not got much time to cook, a salad is the easiest thing to throw together. We often have it with some chicken which I usually throw in one of those oven bags and add plenty of spices! The highlight of the week though was definitely my dad's roast dinner last night! Just what we all needed!<br />
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The cats have been their usual naughty selves! Lots of sleeping, lots of snuggling up to yarn, lots of playing and a fair bit of hanging on curtains! Thankfully those curtains are only temporary until we find the right ones for our lounge.<br />
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I thought I'd include this photo of what half of my yarn stash currently looks like! Embarrassing! See those bags with hearts on them? Those are two extra large bags full of yarn. Some of it is for some new projects and the rest is scraps leftover. Some of it hasn't even made it's way into any bag and some of it is still upstairs in the office! I really need to organise myself!<br />
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Now then, I've decided that because this week has been lacking in everything (crochet, colourfulness, cheeriness, good photography) and because you were still kind enough to come and visit me here on my little blog, I am going to set myself some goals!<br />
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<li style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Complete the rainbow scrappy ripple</u></b> (sewing in ends & doing a border)! ← This one is very important!</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Tidy & sort out yarn stash!</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Complete rainbow runner! (This one is currently giving me headaches but I shall persevere!</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Catch up with granny square CAL (<a href="http://www.knotyournanascrochet.com/2013/04/granny-square-cal-week-one.html" target="_blank">Found here</a> for anyone wanting to join in).</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Complete a mandala! (If you want to try this out you can find an awesome tutorial <a href="http://winkieflash.nl/patterns/mandala-en/" target="_blank">here</a>)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Read 2 books! (This includes my current read!).</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">And lastly, bake something! (It's been far too long since I did that!).</li>
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Ok, so those are my goals for the week ahead! Let's see if I can stick to them!</div>
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Oh & something to add at the end....I have a new found respect for the elderly and the way they are able to use walkers/zimmer frames! I was curious and tried one out a few days ago and wow, it's seriously not easy! You have to be able to lift the thing that is supposed to be giving you support and the ones with wheels in the front are even worse!<br />
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Ok, that's it for this week. I hope your week was better/more productive than mine and I wish you all the best for the week ahead! Hope to meet you back here next Sunday, hopefully with a more exciting post! ☺</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831580343506678934.post-75908733060421725932013-04-21T23:06:00.002+01:002013-05-12T13:42:33.836+01:00Crochet, holidays & plenty of nature!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've had such a strange few days. It's been busy & fun but also slow compared to most weeks! I got to speak to my mom on Sunday (it was her birthday) which was awesome! The last time we spoke was my birthday. The weather has been all over the place but we made the most of it. My dad was on leave, my fiancé's dad was visiting & went home last night and today it's straight back to normal routine! I've not quite caught up, my brain is feeling very muddled at the moment!</div>
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I've got so many photos to show you so I'm apologising in advance because this could end up being a long post but hopefully the colourfulness will make it all worth it! </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CxjWjcoiANc/UXQmxn1dveI/AAAAAAAAAk0/ZekOX7SN9C4/s1600/Cat+Nest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CxjWjcoiANc/UXQmxn1dveI/AAAAAAAAAk0/ZekOX7SN9C4/s640/Cat+Nest.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I finally finished the <a href="http://www.eilentein.com/2012/05/pesa.html" target="_blank">cat nest</a>! Yay! I'm not sure if I'll ever make one again. The yarn I used was <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/patons-fab-big-poppy-02348-200g" target="_blank">Patons Fab Big</a> and the colour is Poppy. I used about 2.5 balls. Munchkin is the only cat that can get inside it & thankfully she loves it. The rest are a bit too big but that didn't stop Moe from trying! I got carried away buying the super chunky yarn, thinking I'd be making many of them but luckily it won't go to waste because I can use it to make a rug. As I mentioned last week, I am planning on making this <a href="http://winkieflash.nl/2013/04/12/made-mandala-rug/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+acreativebeing+(a+creative+being)" target="_blank">mandala rug</a> by <a href="http://winkieflash.nl/" target="_blank">A Creative Being</a>. I think it's gorgeous!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r3C3g8be5Xo/UXQm86nB_zI/AAAAAAAAAlU/WPe41MoTlyw/s1600/20130421-DSC_1494+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r3C3g8be5Xo/UXQm86nB_zI/AAAAAAAAAlU/WPe41MoTlyw/s320/20130421-DSC_1494+-+Copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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At the moment I'm trying out her <a href="http://winkieflash.nl/patterns/mandala-en/" target="_blank">Mandala</a> pattern but I'm not doing a very good job of it! I think I need a lot more practice crocheting in the round...especially the seamless circle. </div>
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First it won't lie flat...so does that mean my tension is too lose or too tight?</div>
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And then the next problem...I end up with a gap in the one spot! The place where the faux stitch is...? </div>
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If anyone has any tips I'd be very grateful! ☺</div>
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And now, onto some scrappy rainbow ripple news! </div>
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My scrappy ripple is coming along nicely! All that's left is to sew in the ends & do the border. I tried to take some photos of it today but Moe had other plans! Every time I laid it out on the window sill he leapt on there and started pulling it, burrowing under it and eventually knocking it off the window sill completely! He just loves crocheted blankets & yarn! He is forever jumping into my yarn bag! Such a funny little boy & I love him to bits ♥</div>
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I did manage to get one photo without him...maybe that's because it was all crumpled up! The scrappy ripple is about single bed size or at least will be once I do the border. This is all Stylecraft yarn, some possibly discontinued because a lot of it was bought in 2008! I'll try to list all the colours when it's finished! It's the best way to use up scraps!</div>
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Another way to use up scraps is to make granny squares! I am still participating in <a href="http://www.knotyournanascrochet.com/2013/04/granny-square-cal-week-three.html" target="_blank">this</a> granny CAL. I've not done the squares for week 3 yet but hopefully I'll get round to it this week. My plan is to use up all my old stash so I can stock up on each colour again!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_vEve5LcnY0/UXQm_fSOPjI/AAAAAAAAAlc/3rJOFXJzZ7w/s1600/Deliveries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_vEve5LcnY0/UXQm_fSOPjI/AAAAAAAAAlc/3rJOFXJzZ7w/s640/Deliveries.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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That doesn't stop me from buying more yarn for projects though! I had another yarn delivery this week...it was thoroughly inspected by the quality control team. It's all <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/special-dk-all-colours" target="_blank">Stylecraft Special DK</a> except for the lovely <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/patons-fab-dk-100g-purple-02313-100g" target="_blank">Patons Fab DK Purple</a>. While watching movies late on Thursday night, I suddenly had a few ideas pop in my head and that resulted in a late night shopping spree at my favourite online store...<a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wool Warehouse</a>! It was all delivered on Saturday! So super duper fast !☺</div>
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I had a few other deliveries this week!</div>
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My new crochet hook arrived. It's a 15mm hook so it's pretty big and will be used for rug making. I tried to get a more colourful hook but that was the only one I could find! If you know where I can get a colourful one please let me know! ☺</div>
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I also bought <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/500-Crochet-Blocks-Hannah-Elgie/dp/1844489329/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366571858&sr=8-1&keywords=crochet+500" target="_blank">this</a> awesome crochet book to add to my ever growing collection! It's a very compact little book but it's full of so many wonderful patterns/ideas & loads of inspiration!</div>
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On Tuesday, while everyone was out of the house, I managed to squeeze in some tidying & cleaning! </div>
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I had some help from Moe (he's into everything) and a lot of moaning from Tabby! Shortly after the cleaning was done, Moe & Vinnie decided to have a play-fight which meant the floor didn't stay clean for long. They certainly keep us entertained & busy! Socks did her bit, she helped me with dinner & Bella just lazed around! They now have a green play-mat in the lounge. It stops the carpet from getting too dirty.</div>
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I made spaghetti bolognese for dinner (my fiancé's favourite). It was the only time I had to cook all week. My wonderful dad made dinner nearly every night! I love his cooking ♥ </div>
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On Wednesday & Thursday we went walking. My dad came walking with us for the first time ever on Thursday. That brought a very big smile to my face! It had been raining both days but we were really lucky because it stopped shortly after we left the house. The farmer had all his sheep out so we got to see all the cute little black lambs & the parents. There were also a few mallard ducks near the edge of the river which my dad spotted. They have such beautiful colouring.</div>
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The river has come up a bit over the past week thanks to the recent rainfall. By Thursday, the rocks in the above photos were no longer visible.</div>
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The sand was also almost all covered up. It's also looking a bit more alive now that everything is coming back to life. I love the peaceful sound of the river. I find it very relaxing & that's why I love these walks so much. It's great for stress relief. </div>
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It's amazing how many different shapes, colours, & sizes of leaves you can find. My fiancé's dad & I found these on our walk. They are so colourful.</div>
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Isn't it lovely to see so much green? Our walks are so refreshing and the air is so fresh. We spend a lot of time chatting & I spend a fair bit of my time taking photos. I just can't help myself. There is always something that catches my eye!</div>
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Look at all those beautiful colours! It makes me smile! There are more flowers popping up now and many other things! I'm still waiting on the wild garlic though! ☺ After our last walk of the week, we went home & had a very healthy lunch. Plenty of salad & fruit! Our plates looked nearly as colourful as the above photos!</div>
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On Friday we went on a trip to the dentist for our 6 month checkup....not my favourite place but the drive there is amazing. We get to look at these incredible views the whole way. This is the Brecon Beacons or at least some of it...like a very small part of it. </div>
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On our way home, after the dreaded "D", we stopped at a roadside cafe for some lunch. This little roadside cafe makes the best bacon rolls! The weather was lovely so we sat at the benches to eat. It was a rather enjoyable day.</div>
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On Saturday, the sun really did make an appearance. There wasn't a rain cloud in sight. I decided to let poor old Tabby out for a wonder. He is very much an outdoor cat but for his own safety we keep him in more often. I love photographing him because he's such a gorgeous cat and such a poser!</div>
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Socks came out for a kick nibble of grass and a bit of fresh air. In her younger years she used to be very active. We used to throw tiny stones for her and she'd jump up and catch them or run after them but she's slowed down a lot more. She'd rather sleep in the sun and occasionally have a mad half hour.</div>
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It's amazing what you can find in your own back garden! Thanks to that wonderful sunshine, I got a chance to use my macro lens. I hadn't even realised that we had these beautiful blue flowers in our garden. Are they bluebells? I'm clueless with flowers. I just love the colours ♥</div>
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I found a tiny cracked blue egg in the grass. We feed a lot of birds so I'm not sure what bird it's from...any ideas? I think it may have fallen out of a nest, poor thing.</div>
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I adore these tiny blue flowers! They are so beautiful! </div>
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Ok, that was my week! I hope I kept your interest until the end! I did promise that it would be colourful. We have a busy week ahead of us so I doubt that next weeks post will have too much in it so better make the most of it!</div>
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Best wishes to you all for the week ahead! Thanks again for reading my little blog. Take care x</div>
Arc Of Colourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17944777864391630496noreply@blogger.com2