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

Holiday Album - Monkey Forest, Trentham.

We spent Friday at the Monkey Forest in Trentham with my cousin and her little one.  The monkeys, which are actually macaques, live free in the forest and you are allowed to wonder amongst them (with a few sensible restrictions).  I know I shouldn't anthropomorphisize but their expressions are just so human.....

Every face tells a story, don't you agree?.....

Holiday Album - 2011.

I was having a look back at this time last year and apart from how much the boys (and their hair!) have grown, the plans to relax, enjoy ourselves and make the most of this precious time together could just as easily have been written today.  We have already managed to sleep out under the stars (on the trampoline), had a campfire in the garden, made heart knot bracelets for each other, seen Harry Potter (and yes I did cry buckets!) and made a camp under the cherry tree in the garden.

With a full list of ideas to fill the days (and nights) I may not be here as much as usual but I am planning a series of 'Holiday Album' posts like I did last year.  We have loved being able to look back to rediscover all the golden moments from 2010 and hope you will enjoy coming along with us as we step into the adventures of summer 2011....

The names out of the hat are....

Congratulations to all of you!  Please let me know the email address you would like your Alphabet Glue sent to and I will let Annie know as soon as possible....

.....for those of you who weren't so lucky don't forget copies are available to buy direct (along with copies of Issue One) and I can't recommend them too much!

Off now to enjoy a weekend with Daddy, who is returning to us today after two weeks in China, along with these two gorgeous boys and their new French hats.....

Still time to enter...

Her wait (and ours) is nearly over, as Jack returns from his school trip to France tonight.  There is still time to enter the Alphabet Glue Giveaway however as I won't be closing comments until 9pm here and Jack will pick the winner from the hat as soon as he is human again....I am guessing that a week away with 72 other 13 year olds will probably result in severe sleep deprivation!  I will be back with the winners at the end of the week after sufficient cuddles, travelling tales and laundry has been done for me to attempt to reach my computer.  Now I am off to enjoy the first day of the holidays with my little one, who is determined to make the most of his last day of being an only child!

Woolfest Project 3 - The Ambleside Shawl.

I was intending to list all these projects so I didn't forget what I wanted to do with the yarn but also as a bit of a push to get them done....but today's shawl has been completed before I managed to show you what I planned!

I had a bit of a panic last week when I reached the arms of my hourglass sweater and realised I didn't have the right sized needles to carry on.  An emergency purchase of some addi 30cm 4.5mm circulars (I am a complete convert!) was necessary but even with first class delivery I needed something to keep my hands busy until they arrived.  The project had to be simple (I wanted something I could take to work and still carry on a conversation at the lunch table (not possible with the lacy scarf!)) and the Ambleside shawl by Vikki Harding (I did say she would appear again I just didn't know how soon!) was the perfect answer.

The yarn was some Manos del Uruguay silk blend that I managed to buy half price at Woolfest (thanks to my friend Emma's sharp eye (and she recommended the pattern too!)) The pattern was a dream to knit and the yarn is so soft and drapey.  I cast on Monday night and had a completed shawl by Friday.  I would definitely encourage you to look for this pattern if you fancy a quick knit , I am planning to make some more as gifts!

My addi needles arrived and I now have one sleeve completed and hope to start the second tonight, so maybe soon I will have another completed Woolfest project to show you....

....My summer plans now include this e-course, a bit of a treat to myself in the hope that it might boost my immune system and clear the rest of the annoying symptoms left by the dreaded flu!  I am really enjoying hearing what everyone else has planned for their summer over on the Alphabet Glue Giveaway.  Don't forget there is still time to enter before the draw on Wednesday night....

Woolfest Project 2 - The lacy scarf.

One of the only stalls I was determined to visit at Woolfest was The House of Hemp.  I had seen photo's of the wonderful colours on the Woolfest site and it had immediately been put on my wish list.  It was as stunningly beautiful in reality as in the pictures but the fine yarn (it's like embroidery cotton) and the resulting expense (you would need a lot to make something big!) meant I plumped for this little starter kit.   A skein of the most beautiful pink hemp and a pattern for a simple scarf perfect for the summer, all for £10.  A good place to begin (and I have) but I am not ruling out something a bit bigger next year.......

.....don't forget to check out the Alphabet Glue giveaway, full of great ideas to fill the summer holidays!

Alphabet Glue Giveaway 2!

As the summer holidays approach here, I am sure I can't be the only one storing up ideas to punctuate the long hours of delicious leisure.  The six week break feels like a precious gift of time, time to relax, time to read (together and alone), time to create and craft and time to kick back and day dream with nothing urgent to interrupt our fun.  Each year we draw up a poster full of everything we want to do. This years already has : making a first quilt (Sam), sleeping on the trampoline, camping on the beach (Jack), a circus party with our friends, watching all the Harry Potter movies back to back and making time for messy art (me!)

 Something that has been inspiring a lot of ideas for us this summer, is the new issue of Alphabet Glue. Issue two is full of fantastic detective activities and is just as jam packed with exciting ideas, reading recommendations and gorgeous things to make as issue one was (maybe even better!)  I immediately fell in love with the idea of story lanterns (see above) and Sam is very taken with the book making ideas (especially as he has signed up for Annie's book swap No 4).

I can imagine many hours of investigations taking place with the detective kit above - I always enjoy a bit of code breaking and who could resist making their own magnifying glass?  You can read more about the first issue here and it is still available to buy if you missed out last time round.

Annie has been kind enough to offer five free copies of Alphabet Glue Issue Two, for me to giveaway.  If you would like a chance to win please leave a comment below with a link or description of something on your summer to do list .  Comments will stay open until the first day of our holidays - Wednesday 20th July and the winners will be picked out of a hat by Jack who returns from a school trip to France later that evening.

Creative Kismet - Art of Giving e-course.

 

The summer holidays are nearly here and as a treat I am signing myself up for Regina's new e-course.  A bit of fun with paint, photography and getting messy sounds just what I need to relax and remember the important stuff.  You can find out more here if you fancy joining in.  I will be back next week with another Woolfest project and a rather exciting giveaway - hope you have a good weekend, full of fun, family and laughter, see you next week!

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod 2011.

I thought you might enjoy a glimpse of what we were doing yesterday...I tried to upload some video but after 4 hours of fiddling I gave up in frustration.  If you want to see (and hear) more you can enjoy all the highlights, in Welsh,  here!

Woolfest Project 1 - The hourglass sweater.

The first Woolfest yarn/project I have to show you is already on my needles.  The Hourglass sweater is something I have wanted to try for a long time (I even cast on for it once before, although that version ended up becoming something else) and it was the main reason I bought Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.  I went to Woolfest with a specific idea of the yarn I wanted, something neutral and a bit grown-up, not my usual rainbow bright selection, but still something a bit different and hand-made.  I discovered the perfect yarn at Wild Fire Fibres, where the lovely Vikki Harding (there will be something else from her in a later project), spent time chatting to us and telling us about her gorgeous yarns and patterns.  The yarn I chose was an organic merino called Zeus DK in a soft green.  I cast on as soon as I finished my crochet wrap and have now knitted a good 8".  The yarn is a dream to knit with and I think that this time my hourglass is going to fly off the needles.

I am off to International Children's day at the Llangollen Eisteddfod with Sam's school tomorrow but I will try and be back later in the week with something a bit different hope you all have a good week!