Mousy Brown's House-Creating, crafting and collecting. Enjoying Life.

STWSB Week Four - A total fail Whale...

I could lie but I prefer to just admit, that this week I managed no de-stashing at all...there you go, I am human!  Life took over and in between working and looking after little poorly people time for making just didn't happen.  I didn't lift my knitting needles once, my sewing machine has stood silent and other than giving a large bag of yarn to a friend's mother for her church knitting group and another to school for craft-time, my list of things to make is just as long as it was this time last week.  I did manage to take this beautiful picture of a daisy in the garden though and my crochet hook is getting a bit of action at the moment...

Hope you all did better, I look forward to your inspirational links!  Still time to enter the giveaway here, I'll be back soon, hopefully with a lot of creative stuff to show....

Joining in.

I was feeling like I needed a challenge, something a bit different, something to kick start my fingers (and brain) and as if by magic I discovered Kate's Creative Jumpstart course, Blair's Granny Square Sampler Project and Rachel's Handstitched Class and just like that I am sorted for the Summer....

Signs of Spring.

In between the rain there are moments of brightness and sunshine and everywhere I look there are signs of Spring despite the cold.  Nature is just getting on with it, managing to do it's stuff, ignoring the mud and puddles.  Tomorrow I intend to do the same...I won't hesitate any longer but in-between the showers I will get out and push seeds into the moist earth and trust that nature will take its course with these too.  One bonus is that it's cold enough for me to wear my new hat and toasties...every cloud has a silver lining!

See you Monday...

Dawn pointed out to me that May 4th was a Friday and I have added a little note here...so in fact I will be back on Monday 7th with my first stash busting post...have a good weekend and hope to see you then!

Snapshots from my week...

Nothing much to say today, it's still raining (and sleeting), I'm still knitting and the fire is warm and cosy.  I have some finished projects to show you, one knitted (maybe two soon!) and one sewn but they deserve a bit more time than I can give them at the moment so I thought I might post a few snapshots of my week...it doesn't look too bad when you look back through the lens....

Bees buzzing...

Things have been rather quiet around here lately, partly because I have been feeling rather low and haven't really known what to say...

A combination of those niggley health problems that still won't go away, the return to work and school (the holidays just weren't long enough!), a long week with my husband away, trying to fit too much in - then feeling I am going nowhere and the weathers determination to return to dark days, rain and temperatures that need a fire have all played their part and I decided silence was a whole lot better than endless pages of wallowing!

I was taking a look at these photo's this morning and realised just how happy the sounds and sights of nature make me (I may have mentioned that a few times before...) and thought you might enjoy seeing them too.  I have also woken up with an idea buzzing around my head that just won't go away, I need to think it out a bit more but will be back soon with a few more details....

Knitting hats again...

Not the knitting I was talking about in my last post (not even the eggs)  but I do have a bit of knitting to show for the last few days absence...

I had a request for a simple knitted hat from my Grandmother when I was in Cornwall over Easter.  Her birthday is at the end of April and at 85 she doesn't feel that there is much she still wants.  Every year we repeat the same conversation, where I ask what she would like and she says nothing and eventually we come to some conclusion where I can make her something that keeps us both happy! 

A hat was something I was fairly confident I could do and I am very happy with what I have ended up with...I used the pattern from last minute knitted gifts, that I have used before, along with some lovely soft yarn that I discovered here for only £2 a ball.  One ball was enough to make the hat and to make a bonus flower brooch that she can attach if she likes or wear totally separately.  I think it will meet with her approval...although nothing is guaranteed!

My other knitting is progressing, I am sort of hoping I might finish it in my lunch break at work tomorrow but also think that might be a bit optomistic....a bit like my ideas of posting here last week were.  Sleepovers, laundry and parties all happened and I also managed to keep up with my photo a day but something had to give and Easter egg hunts was it, maybe the photos will do for next year?

Moments of still.

It was another beautiful, sunny day here and I felt inspired to tackle loads of tasks that just aren't so appealing in the rain.  Within the hectic busyness, there were moments of pure stillness, where I paused and recorded the progress of my day.  These are the ordinary moments I treasure, moments it would be so easy to overlook.

What ordinary moments made you stop today?

In Paris...

:: We strolled in the sunshine.

:: We enjoyed beautiful music at every street corner.

:: We were spoilt for amazing buildings to admire.

:: We were also spoilt for amazing food! (especially here!)

:: We giggled and talked, and talked, and talked....

:: We walked until our feet hurt and weren't quite brave enough to try one of the free bikes...

:: I marvelled at how everything sounds so much more romantic in French!

:: I wished I could buy flowers.

:: I loved spending time with my special blogging friend (and her gorgeous and amazing children!)

:: We visited this stunning yarn store  (which wouldn't allow photo's!) and I knitted a bit.

:: Time past so slow and we did so much but the weekend was over too fast....

 

If you don't like dogs, turn away....

I just had to show you these pictures I took of Snap.  You have to admire her ability to find the sunniest place in the house and her total relaxation.  They were taken on Tuesday when Spring felt so close (it has disappeared again now but at least I know it is out there somewhere!) and I had thrown open all the windows and doors.  My fourth load of washing was drying on the line and I went upstairs to my bedroom to catch up on some blog reading with a cup of coffee and the afternoon play on Radio 4.  Snap followed me and made herself comfortable and I found myself watching her instead of looking at my screen.  Her eyes became more and more droopy as she sat in the sunlight until, with a big sigh, she gave into the heat and fell asleep with her head over the side of the bed.  We managed 45 minutes of silent companionship (well silent apart from the radio, her snoring, the 6000 birds outside the window and a tractor in the distance, but you know what I mean!) before I had to go and collect Sam from school and life returned to "normal".

Amongst the hustle and bustle these are the moments I treasure.  True simple pleasures.  What are yours?