Another shawl

 Definately getting the hang of this crochet! This is a small shawl from Inside Crochet magazine No 9 that I have just finished. I used Cortina sock wool which I bought in Lidl ages ago.

I am rather pleased with the result!

This weekend I am off to the Craft Show at the SECC Glasgow with a friend and am looking forward to getting some inspiration there to kick start my scrapbooking, cardmaking again.

A finished project

I have finally finished knitting this jacket for myself - well actually it has been finished for some time except for the button - which my sister kindly sewed on for me when she was down recently. It is knitted in Rowan Cotton Jean wool and the pattern is Lynton from Rowans Coast book. I am pleased with it although perhaps should have knitted it a little longer.

Lifes Turns

Sometimes life just throws a little twist into your life. This happened for our family since my last post. My mother-in-law passed away on 21 September, aged 87. She had had health problems for the last two years and got gradually worse over the summer, finally being admitted to hospital a week before her passing. Her life ended peacefully with her family beside her.

'One thing  I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.' Psalm 27:4

10 things

Struggled a bit to come up with an idea for this month's 10 things on the 10th, so decided I would take my word for the year ACHIEVE and come up with 10 things I could achieve before the end of the year.

1.  Finish the E100 Bible Reading Challenge
2.  Start (but realistically maybe not finish) an album for Andrew's trip to Paris.
3.  Finish the EXPLORE Shimelle course
4.  Lose a stone and a half - did I really commit to that!!
5.  Sew up my yellow cardigan which is waiting to be completed.
6.  Finish crochet scarf I have started.
7.  Make some Christmas cards.
8.  Get into a good habit of exercise regularly - and stick to it.
9.  Get the garden tidied up for winter.
10. Make a good inroad into all the things on my household to do list.

I wonder how I will get on - will report back at the end of the year.

For some more interesting lists see here

Back on Track

Sorry for the short absence but hopefully I am getting back on track now. The last couple of weeks have seemed really hectic. We had two birthdays - mine and Andrews, had a few days up in Glasgow getting last minute things for school. Andrew has now started at secondary school and so far so good, he is enjoying it - well apart from swimming at PE!! I have had a cold, sore throat and no voice for the past week - you can image how happy that made the boys!

Today is the 1st September so hopefully going to get back on track again now. The weight loss needs to start again, as does the fitness programme. Lots of things still to Achieve this year - I have started some crocheting, more knitting, keeping up with my Essential 100 Bible Reading passages, and have got several scrapbooking projects in mind.

As this is September Shimelle is doing her Learn Something New Every Day again. I successfully did this the first year and got half way the second year. I am wondering if I should try something this year, but not sure - will need to decide quickly before the month is gone. Who else is taking part in LSNED?

Scavenger Hunt 5

Some more photos for the summer scavenger hunt at Rinda's blog

9. A festival or fair - this is Henry Olanga taking part in the Keswick Cricket Festival. Henry was taking part in the Keswick Convention this year and had put together a team to play the local cricket team. Henry Olanga made his international debut in 1995, and was the youngest player and the first black cricketer to represent Zimbabwe, helping them to their first ever Test victory.

 11. A forest - this was taken during one of the forest walks we went on around Keswick.

 15. Graffiti art - spotted this on a wall in Paris.

Scavenger Hunt 4

The next lot of photos for Rinda's summer scavenger hunt

21 A rooster - this chap was roaming free at South Lakes Wildlife Park

 18. A person sketching or painting outside - this was at Keswick and is outside Andrew's favourite fish and chip shop.

 8. Your country's flag - saw these cushions in a shop and took a photo.