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

A new book and some old knitting.

I thought I would join in with Ginny again this week so that I can show you the progress on my Linen Stitch shawl. I have to admit to neglecting it completely while I worked hard on projects for Christmas gifts but now it is back in my hands and I am setting a target of completing at least two rows a day, no matter how busy I am.  It is a simple and repetitive stitch and I tend to find those kind of projects hard to stick with...my mind wonders and I make far more mistakes than the complexity calls for!  The colours are so beautiful though and the texture of the fabric so soft that I can't wait to be finished and able to finally wear it...

I am reading "The Secret Garden" which I purchased after an afternoon on the sofa sniffling and sneezing as I watched the movie.  I loved this book as a child and I decided to treat myself to the very beautiful penguin threads version with some of my Christmas money.  The stitching on the cover inspires me every time I pick it up and I am already pondering some embroidery inspired by my favourite books...maybe when the shawl is finished?

A Winter Walk on Crosby Beach - Antony Gormley's Another Place.

It was a last minute decision but the walk we took on Crosby Beach on New Years Eve was magical. Watching the sun go down on the old year in Antony Gormley's Another Place was haunting, inspiring and I have to admit rather cold!

A finished project to start the New Year.

Along with finishing my friendship quilt, my fingers have also been busy working on a Vista Shawlette over the Christmas break.  Cast on on the Saturday before Christmas and finished a week later while watching a double bill of Star Wars with the boys, it has flown off the needles and been enjoyed already on a chill winter walk.  (Ravelry details here.)

I have really enjoyed this opportunity to pause and slow down over the holidays, 2013 has been quite a year and especially in the last few months time to pause, reflect and relax has been rather hard to find.  I am looking forward to starting afresh in the New Year and have come up with a few ideas of how I can challenge myself creatively, whilst not adding any more stress or pressure into the mix...I've nearly settled on what seems a good plan and will share it here as soon as I am certain.

In the mean time, all that is left for me to do is to wish each of you all the best for 2014, may it be full of good days, happy smiles, the love of friends and family and have moments of true peace and restfulness to feed your creativity...

Christmas Wishes...

Things have been very quiet in this space, which may have been because thay have been anything but that in the rest of my life...

Now, with school finished for the year, Grandparents collected and all the shopping and making done, we are looking forward to taking a deep breath and enjoying some hard earned peace over the next couple of weeks.

I would like to wish anyone who happens to visit here a happy and relaxed Christmas and a New Year full of simple goodness...

“When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness.”
Bob Hope.

Funky chickens...

Thought you might like an update on the backyard farm...

...they have reached that awkward, teenage kind of stage, all punk hairdos and no control over their feet.  They cheep and eat and eat and cheep and I am beginning to notice that two share all the same behaviours and one is just a little bit different.  I am hoping that means two girls and a boy NOT two boys and a girl or even better that one is just a rather strange girl!!

They are still in a coop in our sunroom and the forecast of colder weather and snow over the next few days means they will probably stay there for quite a bit longer...

...they love salad (especially lambs lettuce) and grapes and best of all cold spagetti, which they grab and run off with sqeeking all the time in excitement.  They burst out of the nest boxes in the morning at full speed and have to be pushed to go to bed by their mum every night.  They will eat from our hands, let us hold them, enjoy my singing and despite the mess I am very happy we just went with it and had our Christmas chicks...

Welcoming 2013...

2012 was meant to be the year of keeping things simple but somehow became even more complicated than ever...new job, extra days, lots of studying, new chicks...I did manage to stay sane however (well as much as I ever am!) so maybe a bit of simplicity did seep through and perhaps I am learning to not make a complicated situation into a disaster!

The first half of 2013 is already starting to look quite full and I have signed up for this and this just to make sure I take care of those important bits that tend to get ignored when things get crazy (my health and my creativity)

No resolutions here as usual but I will leave you with well wishes for a Happy New Year and a quote I discovered, that seems a fitting place to start the next twelve months...

“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.”

~ Thomas A. Edison

 

Christmas wishes...

"...For you and yours...days full of fun, laughter, family and friends...good food and time to relax, happy memories and simple pleasures... "

 

Signs of Christmas are starting to appear...

# A little sparkle under the stairs.

# Sam's advent tree is starting to fill up and sparkle too ( the little angel is hanging there as well).

# A decoration each for their collections (a new one every year for them to take when they leave home).

# Sitting by the fire writing cards and wrapping presents.

# A crochet star garland from a special friend.

# Our Advent candles - one lit each Sunday in advent while we eat our meal.

# Christmas bundles enjoyed again this year, an easy solution to lack of time.

# A card from one of my favourite Etsy shops - a present in itself!

# Gifts starting to be wrapped and popped under the tree.  Decorations from previous years and the lovely smell of fresh fir.

# Homemade chocolates for the teachers inspired by this book.

It's all slowly coming together, decorations going up, cards written and the important Christmas PJ's were finally made this weekend.  Things are slowing down, Christmas music is playing and everything feels festive by firelight.  Only three more days of work for me and with all college work completed and sent off, I am beginning to relax and enjoy the preparations for the celebrations.  With Solstice and wedding anniversary get togethers to enjoy before the big day and family arriving to join in this weekend, I know the days will be full, with good food, friendship, love and laughter.  I am allowing myself to believe that everything will get done and to trust that the stuff that doesn't, really won't matter...believing and trusting sort of feels the right thing to do at this time of year, how does that sound to you?

This Years Advent Calendar.

This year our homemade Advent Calendar has taken a slightly different direction.  I wanted something that was exciting and full of surprises but that involved less buying of small (and often surprisingly expensive) treats.  I wanted something that might have lasting appeal, that would be used again and again and also something that would not be too complicated for me to put together in the limited time I have available to me this year.

The idea I came up with is a miniature Christmas tree in a pot and 24 parcels containing the decorations to make it sparkle...

...some were bought at IKEA, some from local shops and some are even handmade...there are lights, a little wooden nativity scene, reindeer and stars to be discovered and when Christmas is over it can all be packed away until next year...

Day 1 has been a success and the tree already looks a bit more cheerful...I'll try and show you some more pictures as we progress through the month!

Some more handmade Christmas gifts...

...this time the ones I was lucky enough to receive!

These three necklaces (gifted in the lovely tins holding them) were handmade by Sam.  I love how much care and attention he put into making them and how excited he was to give them to me...he definitely learned the joy that can be found in making the perfect gift for someone you love and he has already started on making something for my birthday this week...

This delicate crochet and bead necklace, was a complete and very welcome surprise. Handmade by my friend Emma, it was my necklace of choice on Christmas Eve and added a bit of sparkle to my Wedding Anniversary celebrations this year!

Less of a surprise but equally welcome was the natural dyed crochet 'stone' (it is actually the most beautiful pebble of polished wood) that my Mother bought me from Resurrection fern.  After years of admiring Margaret Oomen's art, I am so pleased to now own a piece for myself...especially as I feel very lucky to have got there before they all sold out this time!

This hand crocheted snowflake bunting was a gift from Jennifer and gave us the only snow we had on Christmas day...I am really struggling to take this one down and think we may retain it's snowy feel a little longer...at least until spring actually arrives!

Finally, this yarn bowl was from a thoughtful friend who is enjoying a pottery class in a local village.  I had told her a while ago about seeing something similar on etsy but not being able to get it shipped to the UK and she decided to have a go at making me one herself.  It works perfectly and has been home to Jack's "Christmas" blanket, which I do hope to get finished sometime soon!

I feel so blessed to have had the joy of making and receiving so many homemade gifts this year, because that was what it was "a joy".  While I would love to be able to say I will  make all our gifts next year, I know that unless that can happen in a relaxed and enjoyable way that the main reason for doing it would be lost.  Just as Sam has discovered the pleasure of making something for someone else is not only in the giving but in the making too, I feel I have discovered that the pleasure of homemade can be not only in the challenge of creating but can also be in the receiving.  So my wish is that next year will be, like this, full of making and giving and receiving but more than anything it will be full of the joy of doing just enough and not too much...I have a feeling that might also fit with "simple" too?