Lifestyle - My Week on Instagram #2

This weeks Instagram round-up looks a bit like this...

1. Went to the garden centre, looked at yarn.

2. Mother's Day is tiring.

3. Presentable Pearl reporting for duty.

4. My pretty flowers (with franken-flower in the middle)

5. New dress for madam.

6. Easter present all ready for madam!

7. Breaking out my lovely new notebook and pen.

I haven't photographed any food this week (unless you count the sweeties), must be some sort of record for me. Though I did make the peanut butter and salted caramel treats again on Wednesday... The caramel even set properly this time! So good, so, so good...

That's been my week, what have you been up to?

Love, Pearl.

A mitt of crochet (sorry, not sorry)

I decided to finally get around to my new crochet project last night whilst I watched Pitch Perfect for the hundredth-odd time. I have been meaning to start it since I got Issue 13 of Simply Crochet Magazine last month. It came with free silver (coloured) fasteners to use with the project and they are dead cute which totally made me want to make them even more!

How the mitts look in the magazine.

I read the pattern and realised that the finished mitts would be too small for me. I umm-ed and ahh-ed for a bit trying to work out how I would make them big enough to fit me and my man-hands. I came to the conclusion that if I used a larger hook and followed the pattern as was that would be the easiest way. I just hoped that would work. 

I had found some DK yarn the other week that I had thought would be perfect for the project. I have used it before in different shades and know it is a slightly thicker yarn than some other DK weight yarns. This would mean that using the bigger size hook wouldn't leave me with less warm mitts.

That's madam's lovely patchwork blanket the yarn is on. 

The yarn is a James C. Brett Marble in shade 21 which is a lovely grey/teal combo. I made madam a lovely cardi in a pink/grey colourway when she was 2.

Ahh! I miss that hair...

I found the pattern easy enough to follow though when it switched from back and forth to in-the-round I got a little confused, but figured it out after a little puzzling. Not sure it could have been written more clearly, think I was just being dim... I still haven't got that much experience in pattern reading for crochet.

The whole of the mitt is worked in Double Crochet (dc) which makes it good for beginners. I did find I got a bit lost with how many rows I had done whilst working in-the-round, but again, that's just me and not a fault of the pattern.

From start to pretty much finished.

I got one completed in the evening so I just need to do the second tonight and I can have a lovely new pair of mitts to wear on our trip to York on Monday :)

    

how can a year go so quickly?

I genuinely thought that after madam went to school full time I would get more chance to blog and maybe I would be able to make my blog something really interesting... But no. I seem to neglect it for days on end now.

 

This, I suppose is in part due to just how busy life seems to have become, what with starting to do actual job hunting type activities. But also I think because I am becoming more well in myself.

 

The whole reason I even began to blog was because of my depression and how it was affecting me. I felt like I was hiding from the world and needed somewhere that I could express myself and begin to feel more normal again. And I think it has really helped me. I have learned to be able to look at myself in a different way.

 

But do you know what has really helped? Twitter. Yes, that's right, the worlds favourite micro-blogging site (WTF *does* that mean? It's a chat room for crying out loud...). But over the last year I have met and befriended so many people who show me nothing but kindness and encouragement. Supporting all my endeavours and just generally being lovely. It's the community I always wanted to live in, full of like-minded souls.

 

Obviously, my lovely friends who I have known for years have all been a massive part of it too. But Twitter even comes into that too. We are now more capable of staying in touch than we ever have been before, and we can talk as a group which is *almost* as good as having them all there together.

 

 

It is just over a year since I first came out as being depressed. I had struggled alone for quite some time before then. I am amazed at the difference a year can make. At about this point last year I was sitting crying, almost uncontrollably, in a café. My lovely friend picked me and madam up and brought us to her house for tea. I still can't thank her enough for how much that meant to me.

But now, although my demons aren't all defeated, I'm so much happier. My feelings of being overwhelmed all the time have subsided. I am finding I have some of my confidence back. I have applied for a couple of jobs (sadly, not successfully) and I think I can fight my own corner a bit more.

My beautiful, crazy, cheeky little girl has just turned 5 and I feel like a new start is upon us. I have started making the proper moves to go back to my maiden name. I am determined to draw a line under the end of my relationship. I *finally* have lost those feelings for him that were making that so hard.

I will always care about him. But as the father of my child not a partner. I finally feel free of him. And having my real name, as it were, is going to be a part of that. I feel like, with this blog, I have spent a lot of time giving you progress reports. And having to really think about me, who I am, how things have changed has done me no end of good.

I think that now I am here this blog is starting to go in another different direction. It will always be a place for me to think things through, and for me to ask questions I feel I need to, but mostly it's becoming a crafting type blog! I have another finished project for you to see, but I'll just finish this bit first...

I am so thankful for all your support. Thank you for helping me realise that life is sometimes shit, but always worth it. Thank you for being there, I hope if you ever need me I can be there for you. Thank you to whoever it was who invented Twitter and for it giving me a space to meet people who are just like me, only different and wonderful all at the same time.

(This is a really big, aww, you guys *group hug* type of post!)

So, project! I have crocheted a new hat for myself (I may need to do one for a couple of other people too (that would be one each, not to share!)). The pattern came from Ravelry. If you're into knitting/crochet it is a great site to sign up to... So many patterns!

The pattern I used was one of the free ones that is available. It's called Polar Hat and is by Pippa Wilson. It comes from her blog and you can find it here if you're interested. It's a really quick make, I made it in an evening. It uses chunky weight yarn and an 8mm hook. Her version is a rather fabulous orange, but I chose a James C. Brett marble in shades of purple for mine.

And here it is:

wow, cheesy grin or what!

It has a very small brim that gives it that bit more interest than a beanie. I made mine very slightly bigger as I have a big head! I would imagine that her design would fit almost everyone else though...

Whaddya think?  



a Sunday summary

I have been having a busy week, hence the lack of any blog posts from me. Have been utterly skint and incapable of getting to my usual source of free wifi (Caffe Nero, I love you). Then, when I did have funds my time was taken up with more planning for other stuff.

 

Also I spent a lovely morning with friend V doing birthday present prospecting, yarn shopping and lunching with friend L and her littlies. I had a fabulous time and I had the selfish delight of having V to myself for a couple of hours which never happens any more!

 

I have now acquired everything I want for madam's bday on Friday (18th). I have gone with a new outfit, a fleece onesie thing with penguins all over it, and the Lalaloopsy doll that she saw and fell in love with. The doll proved the hardest thing to track down as all the shops were out of stock of that particular one. I eventually ordered it from Amazon as even Tesco, who were advertising it, didn't actually have one when I tried ordering it.

 

It is a special one as it was created for National Cat Day which happens to be October 29th and as madam is an October baby and mad on anything feline, it was the logical choice :) Her name is Whisker's Lion Roar which is preposterous, but madam loves these dolls. If you feel like having a gander the link is here.

 

She is meant to be arriving on Tuesday, I *really* hope she isn't late or I shall start to panic. I was looking at a few on ebay, but they are nearly all the same price as in the shops or more, and then ludicrous amounts in P&P because they're heavy. I gave up on that in the end.

 

Now I just have to make a birthday cake and wrap everything up...

 

I did weather charts and rain gauges with the Guides on Friday as further badge work. Next week we're doing a wide game that involves clues so that we'll be ready for the treasure/scavenger hunt around town the week after! I also handed in my application form for midday supervisor at one school and picked up an application for the same at madam's school. I have just seen an advert in town for a coffee shop too. That's a shop that sells coffee, not a café as I first thought it was.

 

I have been wondering about setting up another blog which will be about madam's fashion choices as she keeps me endlessly amused with what she wears and has the ability to make most things look good. The idea comes from one of my favourite Pinterest boards. The My Imaginary Well Dressed Toddler Daughter board is full of child modelling photos with added captions. It makes me giggle, a lot. 

 

But it started me thinking about the whole child modelling thing and madam's love of posing and dressing up. It would probably be a once a week post and I was thinking of making it a proper fashion blog and breaking her outfits down. It might be quite funny. Sadly, I will have to miss out some of these gems...

 

 

 

and just wait for her personality to shine on through. For example, today she has spent dressed up as a skeleton. No, it's not Halloween for another few weeks, but that is not going to stop her!

 

When I have it up and running I shall let you all know :)   

A Foxy Little Number

Ever since this months issue (10) of Simply Crochet dropped through my letterbox madam has been hankering for me to make her the little fox coin purse featured on the front cover (it is unbelievably cute!).

 

I went out and bought myself some yarn from Boyes as I did want to keep the fox colours as Fox is my mother's maiden name and I have a bit of a thing for them. But you could very easily make it with whatever DK yarn you have...

 

I got home and then couldn't find the box with my crochet hooks in. It wasn't in my pile of crap that lives on the sofa (even after I tidy it all off it resurfaces moments later). It wasn't in the front room that is now kind of my craft room. I did look in a few other places, but no. Yesterday, I thought, well I haven't tried the big storage ottoman which is where the box officially should be. And yup, there it was, in the proper place, no wonder I couldn't find it!

 

I rummaged through it knowing that I have at least one 3.5 hook, but it wasn't there! Brilliant, all that searching and I still didn't have the hook I needed. I gave up and bought another one yesterday so that I could just get on with it. They are only a pound!

 

I started when we got in from school and after doing the first segment twice (I didn't like how it had crocheted up and decided to re-jig the pattern so I could make it more even). I really didn't do anything exciting, just decided to always start the row with an increase and not alternate as the pattern said to do. I found that when I ended a row on an increase and then started the next row with one, one side of my fabric was a lot tighter than the other.

 

By making the increases always at the start (and keeping the spacing to pattern) I solved the problem. It may just be how I crochet, but perhaps worth keeping in mind if you decide to make it yourself.

 

So I made the two sections for the pocket, crocheted them together and started on the flap/head section. It was only when reading the pattern for the head when I realised I had missed an instruction for the pocket.

 

Arse.

 

I went back and unpicked my seam, corrected the mistake by just undoing my ends (I was so glad I hadn't finished the pieces properly yet!) and reattaching my yarn and going form there. Then I re-seamed and added on the head piece.

 

The ears were made up in moments and I added those on and sewed in all my ends etc. I added a cute vintage style button I had for the nose and I'm deciding whether to surface crochet the eyes on as suggested or use some little black buttons for it.

 

I also need to sew in a zip and then he's finished! He is for madam, but I love him so much I really want to keep him! I am also very tempted to give him a Sir Didymus style moustache and eye patch! Maybe if I make one for me I shall do that :)

 

For madam I might add on a strap so that she can wear it more as a little bag as she would love that.

 

And here he is, step by step. I got rid of the photos of the sections I did wrong! These are just what it *should* look like, if you actually read all the instructions carefully! And I don't think you can see where I had to join in the yarn, bonus :)

 

back of pocket

front of pocket

the two halves seamed together (it's invisible from the front)

head section

head attached to pocket

ears to be attached, ends to be sewn in

done!

 

and breathe...

Hello, my friends! I am still feeling wiped out so I shall try not to ramble on too much.

 

I had a good evening as madam seems to be back to sleeping well. She went to bed on time without too much of a fight as well. I wasn't sure if she would as she hasn't done anything to tire her out. But I suppose she must be feeling like me and just feel drained by the whole experience.

 

I've sent her to school this morning and will pick her up at lunch time as I don't want her to over-tire herself. She was really pleased to be going back this morning and I have wrapped her in plenty of layers so that she doesn't get cold. Not that I am being a panicky mummy or anything, oh no...

 

But I just have that image in my head of her gasping for breath (bit like my dad's fish did in the summer...) and I know that they would never let that happen, but it's one of things that I can't un-see. And I will always be more aware of what could happen. The school told me they would check on her at playtime (remember how good playtime was!) and let me know if she looked like she might be struggling/tiring. No one has rung and playtime must be about over (it's 10.30am *now*) so she must be ok :)

 

Being protective mummy has meant I made her wear her hat and gloves to school, she also has on the lovely padded jacket that friend E passed us down from her little girl. I did iron in a name label, but I hate doing it onto fleece as it always ruins a little bit of it. Never mind. One small patch of non-fleecy will not affect her at all, just me and my perfectionism that don't like it!

 

I want to put her gloves on elastic as it makes life so much easier, but last year she just kept pulling them out of her coat and refused to wear the elasticated ones... Her independent streak can be infuriating! But I shall consult with her and see if she'll let me this year. They're really nice fleece lined ones and I don't want her losing them.

 

I got the new issue of Simply Crochet magazine yesterday and I have been prevailed upon to make the little fox purse out of it for a certain someone! I think I might make the granny square scarf for myself (though maybe substitute the pink) as the scarf I started I'm not sure I like as much as I thought I would... Although the scarf/hood on the cover is quite tempting too!

 

I keep looking at the time as I'm paranoid about picking madam up! It's not even 11... Might just go to Boyes and look at yarn first ;)

 

the happiness hamster!

 

 

  

a crafting weekend

I managed to get into town yesterday afternoon and get the embroidery thread I needed along with another ball of the chunky wool I was using to make madams shrug with.

 

I spent about an hour last night sewing on the bird and it's tail plumes. It's not come out quite as well as I'd planned in my head, but I'm still pleased with it. I did spend a good 15 minutes before I got started cursing whilst I tried to remember how to start blanket stitch off! I was having a complete mental block and getting myself quite wound up!

 

Not the calming atmosphere I was going for! Anyway, I did manage to figure it out again and here is the t-shirt after I'd finished...

 

 

Madam was very pleased with it when she saw it this morning and has asked me to make a t-shirt with a family of mice next to a house with "Home Sweet Home" on next! I'm not sure I'm up to that particular challenge! Think I will just go with my plan to make her a couple of little pockets to go on the next t-shirt I'm doing...

 

This is madam in her t-shirt this morning, I have no idea who taught her to flash a peace sign, it's certainly not something I've ever shown her. But she looks incredibly grown up and mature in this photo!

 

 

 

She looks so much older than 4 here! And I know I'm completely biased but she is so beautiful! I wish I was that pretty...

 

This morning I have been working on finishing off the shrug, which is just two hexagons sewn together, ingenious! I finished it just before writing this post and have got madam to try it on, but she is now refusing to let me take a photo, so I'll have to share that with you all later...

 

The shrug is a lovely deep blue and actually goes really nicely with what she's wearing today anyway. Bonus :) Oh, and apparently she'd like me to sew a button on at the top just so she can fasten it if it's cold.

 

I did buy some wool so that I could make a shrug for myself. I have to say, not a colour I would usually have gone for, but that was part of the appeal. I wanted something just that wee bit different. It's Stylecraft Harlequin Chunky yarn in Fuchsia/Spruce. So basically bright pink and dark green!

 

Really out of my comfort zone... 



teaching myself to embroider

I've been doing a lot of thinking about my crafting recently. I really enjoy the way it calms my mind and I love feeling like I've achieved something when I complete a project. I also like trying to teach myself new skills.

 

I've been working on teaching myself some embroidery skills in the last few days. I was always rubbish at sewing when younger, right down to being banned by my mother from sewing my Guide badges on (there *might* have been an incident when I sewed the sleeve of my blouse closed).

 

But I've been embellishing little bits and pieces for a while. This mainly consists of me doing running, back or blanket stitch. I can chain stitch as well, but I have never learnt cross stitch or things like satin stitch and French knots! So this is my new quest. I have bought madam some plain short sleeved t-shirts for summer and I have decided to add something different to each one.

 

I did the first one the other day. I sewed on a butterfly that had come off an old hair slide and that had been in my craft box for ages. Then I added a little line of stitches to give it some movement. I foolishly didn't take a photo of it before letting her wear it. So, this is how it looked after a full days abuse!

 

 

 

She's asked me to do something similar to what I've done before with her pale blue t-shirt. I haven't got around to it yet as I need some more embroidery thread to make the tail! But this is the one I made when she was 2.

 

 

 

 

I made loads of little felt birds ages ago, along with some flowers and leaves. So I'm using one of these on the new t-shirt and then I'll give it the big chain stitch tail plumes. Cool, huh? It was about my favourite thing I'd done up to that point! I may add some little pockets to the other white t-shirt. I have some really nice purple batik style material.

 

This afternoon (after madam has finished giving herself square eyes watching CBeebies) I shall be going into town and getting some more coloured thread and also some more of the wool I've been using to make my chunky crochet shrug :)

 

I might also attempt to make madam put some different clothes on, she did pick an extraordinarily random outfit this morning... Sunsuit and puffa waistcoat anyone?

 

She was somewhat disappointed when I insisted on her wearing underwear with it! 

Sunshine and springtime

Here's my finished Sidney pattern that I got with Let's Knit magazine. There is a whole album of reader's photos on their Facebook page. There are some really cute ones.

According to madam ours is called Lovely and she is still waiting for her stuffing, so I haven't added her to the gallery yet... But my mum has the worlds biggest bag of toy stuffing leftover from when she made madam a knitted doll the other year so we're going to just use some of that.

I am trying to decide where we're going this afternoon as it's finally a lovely day and it would be such a shame not to go out and enjoy it. The sun is shining and it's hinting at finally being Spring. Marvellous. Spring and Autumn are my favourites...

I managed to find a sun hat for madam that will actually go over her hair (much easier now her hair is shorter) and they had a special offer on so she's now got some sparkly hair clips with coloured plaits attached to them. She's thrilled, which is all that matters really. We also had to get her some emergency socks as there were issues with her tights!

There is reason for me to suspect the husband has come up this weekend even though I didn't want him to. Though he isn't at the house, which is the main thing! He keeps ringing me. I'm ignoring him, mature I know...

I suppose I ought to find out as we could at least go and spend the afternoon in the sun with him. I could cope with that I guess... Well except now he's not answering his phone. Helpful!

Yeah, I know, complete hypocrite...

I think I shall give it another go after we've had lunch. If he's sleeping (which is the most likely option) he might have woken up again by then... until then I seem to be stuck watching CBeebies!

Oh, leading on from my post about Guides last night I did at least manage to get the first part of the project started! It amazed me just how long getting them to decide whether 12 statements were true of false took! It also seemed to sink in that some of the statistics I told them were quite frightening. 

The funniest part was asking them whether they thought boys could be part of the solution. They came up with a resounding "NO" even though I had to explain that they would be important really. Their opinions on the ability of boys to be helpful was very telling of how old the girls are!

I don't think they're still at the all boys smell stage, but apparently not far off!  

Updates and planning

I'm feeling quite impressed with myself this morning (no, the house isn't tidy, yet). I have various updates and things for you all.

 

I have, most importantly, been to see the council Housing Officer and handed in the form (completed! Woot!) and filled in another form with the chap which was all pretty similar to what was in the other form.

 

This, apparently, forms part of my homelessness presentation. It now goes to the person who does that and she will be writing me a letter telling me what to do now. I will need to get evidence as to why I need the council to house me. I manage to tick a couple of big boxes by having been born in the town and having my parents live here. And apparently madam's schooling will be an important decider too, phew.

 

Next up, I got the shoes! Well, friend Lucy Lockett got them for me. But it all works out the same. She's much better at the whole ebay thing than I am, so now I just need to get the yarn I'm lusting after in midnight blue to make the shawl I'm planning.

 

Then the wedding outfit will be pretty much complete. Still need a bag and possibly some flats for the ceilidh in the evening. But I'm much less worried about those bits :)

 

I've done another swatch for the shawl I'm planning too, as the first one went a bit wrong. I've been using scraps of yarn so this swatch is in a random bright green that I think I got free with something. Here's the swatch:

I've also done actual planning for the week and we have a basic weeks menu plan and the shopping to make it! I will not have to spend the week wondering what on earth we're going to have for various meals. For example, today I'm making my lentil and bacon soup for lunch and then we're having chicken and broccoli pie for tea. Sorted.

 

For years I've meant to do actual menu planning, but never quite got around to it. This is all in my quest for us to get more organised and tidy things up. If I can introduce organisation into one part of my life, it'll filter into the next part... So if I'm not wasting time thinking about what we're having for tea (or whenever) I can do another tidying blitz.

 

So, I'm going back home in a minute and we're doing a 15 minute tidy and then we're (I'm) making lunch. And after lunch I have to go down to the rental agency and tell them my boiler is playing up. Then home for another 15 minute tidy before tea :)

 

Planning, it might yet work... 

Reality is really real

Today I have been facing a bit of reality. I gave myself until the end of March to sort the house out and I now basically have a week left and it's not done. I'm kicking myself because I've ground to a halt again.

I think having madam becomes my excuse as she untidies just as fast as I can tidy! But I have decided that roping her in to the tidying might help. Today we are going to tackle the living room again and part of that is to sort out all of madam's clothes that seem to have moved in there.

So my plan is to get her finding her clothes (for 15 minutes) and then we can sort them in to stuff that fits, doesn't fit, and chuck it. The doesn't fit stuff can then be taken to the charity shop/passed on to friends. We measured madam again last weekend and she has now reached the grand height of 117cm. This means she's now into age 6-7 clothes! She's 4! Not even 4 and a half...

My child is a giant.

So I'm guessing that all the age 4-5 stuff we have (and the final few 3-4's that seem to have escaped the last cull) will now need to go out. I may also have a large laundry pile to get through so that those things are actually suitable to donate! Anyone wanting (probably a vast amout) of girls clothes do let me know :)

I think we're now at a point where I can hand down clothes to her school friends or even just donate them as spare clothes at her nursery! I think actually, if no-one else wants them, that might be a good thing to do with them.

I've also been doing a bit of crocheting practice today. I've decided to make a shawl to wear over my dress when we go to my cousins wedding in September. I've got the dress, it's blue with little white bows printed on it.

But then I've been dithering over what accesories to go with it. I was thinking grey as I thought that might look quite smart, but I've totally fallen for some midnight blue fyberspates yarn and may end up with that... Oh, and I found some gorgeous blue shoes that I'm a bit in love with too!

 

 

I fell in love with them when they had them in Clarks last year but couldn't afford them. There is a brand new pair on ebay for a tenner... *wants*

 

Anyhow, can't stay, got to go do some sorting...