Feeding the Ducks

Weekend was good. Sunshine, family time, met up with some friends over coffee and cake and I also finished my sleeveless cardigan. Well, the truth is original plan was to knit it long sleeves but this cardigan did not get a chance of being knit with long sleeves as I had enough. I really wanted to finish this cardigan as I wanted to wear it soon. Is this the real answer? Maybe I just wanted to finish off my knitting projects for now; and just focus on my paintings for a while. This one is knitted in DK yarn.

In my studio I have started working on my two new canvases simultaneously. I am hoping to have done by the weekend a lot more work on them but they are big so it does take a while. But I am hoping to show you a bit more of my new work in my next post.

And maybe in between if I feel up to it I might just pick up Emily's jumper; and knit and pearl few lines while watching tele. Did I just say that I just wanted to take a break from knitting? Hmmmm...

  Hope you all had a sunny weekend too xx

Veggie Patch

 

 

The feeling of the beginning is always exciting to me. The mild winter is showing signs of spring already. I am happy to move from the dark winter solstice into the growth. My garlic patch in the veggie garden looks quite promising. I have  put a cover just in case we get too much rain. At the moment its the blustery wind which kept me up last night. Was happy to find the roof still above us and the garden intact. This year I am recording all that is going in the ground. You think you will remember but  it is easy to forget. Every year I plant things and of course forget; so a garden journal is helpful. Little Emily helped me sow the broad beans and sweat peas. They are on my guest room windowsill as it is quite a sunny room. A bag of potatoes 'Red Duke of York' is chitting and we have been eating fresh greens from our veggie patch. Other day I added few leaves to my chickpea curry. It was delicious served with some rice.

 

Welcome 2015

A warm welcome back to honeysuckle studio. Its 2015 and my very first post of this year.

Yesterday was my little Emily's first day back to the nursery. I am so pleased she got a place in our local school nursery which means now no longer early morning drive to the playgroup. It is fantastic. We can leave home and be at the school within two minutes. Fantastic, I love it. It also means I gain my studio time. Well not enough, three hours is not enough but better than nothing at all.

So after dropping her at nursery I went straight into my studio. Put my little electric heater on as I have no central heating here in my studio' a nice brew and I sat in front of these two huge canvases. A new year and two brand new canvas. I am happy.

So I swapped my knitting needles for paint brushes for now. I will pick up my craft work soon but for now I have a commitment. A deadline to meet and I will tell you more about it in my next post. So do pop in my studio again. I will put the kettle on and might have some biscuits. I am trying to avoid them, however, it's tempting.

Goodbye 2014

 Now we are almost ready to say goodbye to 2014 and say hello to 2015

Don't know where this year went, so fast

The girls really enjoyed decorating their gingerbread man and the house. I bought the kit and to tell you honestly they looked good but the taste was nothing like gingerbread. Next year no more readymade kit but I rather make everything from scratch.

Homemade is definitely much better. I am glad for Olivia's birthday I baked a banana cake at home. So much tastier and fun!

 

 

Wow! can't believe Olivia is thirteen now! Well even though officially only now, but we had been experiencing some teenage behaviour already from last year. Guess this is normal, please tell me yes.

 

I made a bunting too but left it too late and had a bit of panic attach just the day before as I forgot to write the alphabets wrong way and ran out of bondaweb. So I had to cut around fabrics again and hand sew them to the bunting. Phew!

It is so nice to see the girls bonding more and more everyday

This year I have done a awfull lot of knitting and sewing. I knitted little Emily the leg warmers. At one point I was not sure if I will finish all this before Christmas. They have been used every day almost while playing outdoors. I might have to knit a few more next year.

This is a simple cable knit leg warmer which started here.

Boxing day we got snow.

The next day we went to Ilam. Santa Claus must have known it was going to snow. The wooden sledge for the girls.

Ilam looked so pretty.

Olivia and Emily on their new sledge. Thank you Santa Claus.

Seemed like Olivia liked the wooden one more

And little Emily preferred the old red plastic sledge.

I did not manage to take any photo's of this wooly trouser while I was knitting because I just wanted to finish then in time before Christmas. But here it is. Finished and Emily nice and warm in it. She could wear it on top of her tracks. Cosy!

Sledging with daddy was fun.

Snack time.

And yes! My very first fair isle vest was complete too in time.

I am really pleased with it and the last finished knitting project was my hat with left over yarns.

The grey yarn is the same from Olivia's hat. I bought way too much. Emily's leg warmer were the same yarn too.

Looking back we had a good year. lots of crafty projects. Good time was spent with family and friends and now looking forward to a brand new year. New projects and definitely want to start painting more again. The last three years were a bit slow with my painting but Emily is 3 now and I do get a lot more time for myself.

Wishing you all bloggers a very happy new year and please do pop in my space next year. I will be visiting my painting studio a lot more next year but continue still with my crafty projects.
Honeysuckle studio
xxx

Getting Closer

Just six more sleeps to go. Finally our tree is decorated. I have finished my Christmas/winter dress and it fits well. I am so pleased. Can't believe this is my third dress I made this year!

 

I have also finished my first Fair Isle vest, will show you in my next post. And I am working on two more Fair Isle projects. One for little Emily and the other one for Olivia or could be for me, not sure yet. It all depends on who likes it more. I have just started because I did not have the patience to wait. Just a little hint: the yarn I am using is Shetland Yarn. So beautiful to knit with.

 

I leave you here with this. Have a lovely weekend.