The saga of the knitted cardigan!

Where to start! 
Well....as its nearly mothers day I decided to make my Mother a cardigan. As we haven't much time to go till the special day  (I started it two weeks ago)  I choose a pattern that was chunky knit and simple so that I could get it done in time.   Perfect!   you would think!

So after checking that there was some matching wool left at the wool shop I started knitting with the lovely "oh I like that" balls of wool I had bought some weeks before and not found a project for.  I picked up the other wool from the shop on a shopping trip with Mr CM and brought them home.  I unpacked them and left them on the kitchen worktop ready to put in my knitting pile.  Then SOMEONE!  (who shall evermore be nameless)  Knocked them off the worktop into the washing basket.

The washing was piled on top and I loaded the washing machine the next day.  You have guessed it.  The newly purchased balls of wool ended up in the washing machine! to say it came out tangled is a understatement.  try as i might i couldn't untangle the wool and it was put in the bin. 
I rang the wool shop to see if there was anymore.  I had a half finished cardigan here that had to get finished!  There wasn't AAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!
So the next day I went to the shop and the lovely lady there had searched her other shop and found me some wool!  Bless her heart!.  So disaster over I got home and started knitting!  I think I must have broken the knitting speed record to get it finished! 

yay go me!

Trouble is I haven't finished it.. And Ive run out of wool.  NNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The shop wont have any till next week and then it may not be the same dye lot! I'm so disappointed I could cry.
I bought the right amount of the wool that the pattern required so I don't know what has gone wrong.  So Mother will be getting the usual box of choccie and card and I have sore fingers for nothing!

Lovely weather!

Haven't we had lovely weather?  (except yesterday)  Its been very warm here.  Warm enough to walk about with just a t-shirt on.  I do like this time of the year.  Warm but not hot.  Everywhere you look there are flowers and blossoms. Beautiful.  We live in a beautiful part of the country but rarely get to enjoy it.  That is something we are determined to change this year.

  Ive been busy sewing this week.  Ive made two union jack cushions which are available to buy priced at £7.00 each

union jack cushion.  made with a cotton front and toweling back.  Stuffed with polystyrene balls. 

Ive also made three other cushions.  made out of lovely soft wool and embellished with crochet flowers. Also priced at £7.00 each

I made some tissue covers perfect for popping in handbags or school bags.  They are Priced at £1.50 and sales from these will go to support the Japanese tsunami appeal. 

I enjoyed a pamper day with my sisters yesterday.  We had lots of fun.  I am  the eldest of ten children.  Six of us are girls so with all those, Mother and then sister-in-laws and Daughters their were quite a few of us.  Lots of  Make up, false nails and chatter!  I took lots of photos but this one is may favourite one

Its a photo of my two youngest sisters applying face masks to each other!  Thanks to Dawnie for hosting the party!

My Hobbit feet nicely decorated!

Well time to sign off.  Have a happy sunny week what ever you are doing!

gardening!

i love beautiful gardens

Hello everyone!
What wonderful weather we are having!  Its lovely to get outside in the sunshine or to drive along with the car windows open.. We are Blessed!
Yesterday we decided it was time to give the garden a MAHOOSIVE clear out.  I am ashamed to say that we have lived in this house for four years now and we still have unpacked boxes in the shed!  So our plan was to empty the shed, sort the boxes and get ready to do a boot sale on Saturday.  However we needed to clear the garden first.  the previous owners of this house left us a lovely present of loads of junk at the bottom of the garden so that was our first job.  Actually that became our only job as it took all day!  Mr CM and Son no 2 took two jam packed loads to the tip (sorry recycling center) and Mrs Son 2 and I did the cosmetic work such as emptying last years pots and bagging junk.  We also sorted through the shed that contains Princess' outdoor toys.  it was amazing how shes grown and I have to say I had a lump in the throat moment when I saw her push along singing toy that she used to drive us crazy with!

Of course this is my pad!  oh well I can dream x

Today however My back and knees tell me I did too much even though there were constant cries of "mum don't try and lift that"  Mum but that down" and Mum make me a drink"!.  When did my Son overtake me and start giving the orders!  Thank the Lord for strong healthy sons!  But the worse thing about doing the garden?  we still haven't finished and Mr CM and Son 2 will be off to the Recycling center again on Friday with the huge pile of wood that we found amongst the other junk!  than we can get to unpacking the sheds!
And then and only then will I beable to Take pictures and post them on here!

Btw the winning bidder for this paid a wopping £3,300.00!  needless to say it was just £3,295.00 too much for my boys to buy me! :0)  Maybe next time!

My birthday! part one. Thank you Birthday swap girlies xx

WoW  Totally overwhelmed!
Thank you so much to all the Birthday swap girls!  I was really touched by the gifts I received.  (also made me feel a little bad as I don't always send as much.  I got Butterflies, butterflies butterflies! ( you all know me so well!)  lots of choccie Yum!  Have hidden it from the rest of the household ;0)
 and the gifts keep coming!  I feel so blessed. Thank you all xxx


Thanks to
Nana go go
Vintage hearth
chez-Sophie
vintage Vikki
crafts at home
 woodbank crafts
Kandipandi
craftingbird
Jille
Buttons ribbons and other things
Lemonade kitty
fraggle cat
sew special bears
and one other person who's card slipped behind the fish tank and I cant retrieve!  So Sorry!

The gifts came

and kept coming!

I got lots of lovely fabrics and a Glorious little patchwork book!

Beautiful!

lovely candles and butterflies

A Rare photo of me with my "winter hat"  I'm not sure what  the grimace on my face is about!

Thank you everyone! 

Crazy Hair day for Comic relief!

Princess has a crazy hair day today at school for Comic relief.  For those of you not in the UK here are the details of Comic Relief (clicky)

There are things on ebay for auction will proceeds going towards this very worthwhile cause.
(clicky here)

Its my birthday tomorrow and I'm hoping Mr CM and my lovely boys may pool their resources and buy me   this.  Lunch at the Ritz with three of the Downtown men! Yummy!  The Lunch of course!
 well a girl can dream cant she!

St Patricks day!

Now.... Did St Patrick realise when he was chasing the snakes out of Ireland that this day would be remembered and celebrated? Or that the shamrock would become the symbol of Ireland?  The reason is that St. Patrick used it to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagans.  The Millions of Irish and those of Irish descent around the world will be downing their Guinness

ooh lovely!

and raising their glasses to Good old St Patrick today.  So to those I wish a Blessed St Patricks day!

busy busy busy! and challenge 52 week ten

Its been a busy time here.  It is No 2 sons 18th birthday today.  I cant believe how fast the time has gone!  It seems all my boys are growing up and away in the blink of a eye.   No 2 likes Tarzan and its kind of a family joke so for His birthday I made him two Tarzan and Jane teddies!   He was very happy with them.

Teddy Tarzan and Jane!

I also managed to find the time to make Princess a couple of skirts

Ive also made my niece one of these for her Birthday

I love the different flowers in the fabric

And I finally finished the patchwork quilt for the baby expected in May.  

The quilt has a double lining of wadding in so will be super cosy in the winter

So although Ive been busy I have plenty to show for it! 

Its now the start of the car boot seasons. we went to two this week and I managed to get some lovely patch work fabric for 50p!  Bargain!  I also bought a tea set for my dresser,  Unfortunately Mr CM managed to smash the sugar bowl and one of the cups before we got home!  Oh dear!  I forgive him!  (plus he has promised to get a replacement!)

Princess loves car boot sales and always comes back with a dolly or two.  She soon wont be able to get in to bed for all the dollies! She especially loves little dollies that will fit in her dolls house.  She also collects care bears so there are a fair few of them here as well!

Well until next time. Thanks for reading

First guest post

Hi everyone!

I'm Leigh from The sewing diva and her reluctant models. I'm so excited to be guest posting here!! These are my reluctant models:

My Husband D

and my handsome little man - can you guess his name?? lol

I blog about a mixture of crafts 

Why not come over and visit me! 

Thanks again. leigh xx