ground force had nothing on us!

So this weekend we blitzed the garden!
and not just a little bit
As you all know it's not easy to garden and watch small kids, so ours has got a little out of hand over the last few years. Our garden is allegedly 150ft long and about 20ft wide.
It doesnt look that big cos of the mass of vegetation.
SO we called in a lot of favours and alot of aunts and uncles and friends came and helped us out on the condition that I would feed them!
there are virtually no photos of the event, a shame but everyone was very busy.
thank you everyone again.
we filled a very large skip and could do it again.
The best photos that came out of the event is courtesy of big aunt em.
this was our site manager!
the next day mum and I dyed some yarn, thats what I'm about to do wind it all back into balls! fun
take care
al x

No really it's meant to be like that

Hello,
Apparently according to blogger I've not posted since the 15th.... Well I apologise it's been a little bit manic. what day is it today??
I've got absolutely no idea of the date! But I know I got paid so it must be after the 25th!!
Any way....
I've got textiley bits and non textiley bits to tell.
First I've been crocheting after a bit of a braiding overload.
I decided to try a pattern, cos I can freeform, but there is a skill to reading a pattern. SO I purchased a pattern from woolly Wormhead
It should look like this. Now in Woolly Wormheads defence It's not her fault that I'm rubbish at reading patterns. It made perfect sense after I'd asked a few people.

So TAKE ONE
The wool I used is from my fab secret pal, I got 4 balls so was able to start again without destroying my first attempt!!
This was the first attempt, I totally missread the pattern and did five stitches into one stitch and then did 2, instead of doing two into one stitch and then a single double into the next five! apparently...
Hence the beautiful ruffles!!I thought it might improve so I kept going, and when I got to the second ball I gave in, and my wonderful Hubby said " but you do freeform....." taking out the rude parts of the response I said "but this was supposed to be something!!!!"
I really like it...

TAKE 2
So I sat my MIL down and said help, and started again!!
and this was the result....
It actually does what it says on the tin!
The only problem being it's supposed to fit me... but I have a very big head! The lesson here is DO A TENSION SQUARE" yes I know I should but I have so little time to do anything....
Can you tell adam didnt want his picky taken!
It sort of fits Emi So I need to adapt it a bit and them I'm going to start again and do one for me.
In the mean time disaster struck
arghhhh my number five hook.
what am I to do..... may be I'm too much of a novice to use plastic hooks.
Back to making cords for the next course I'm doing!!!!! more arghhhh
More on the rest of the last few weeks later
al x

B's beeeeaaaddddddsssssssssssss

Dear all,
SO a few of my mates are heavily into making glass beads at the mo.
"B" who has a live journal thing ( I think) I'll add the address tomorrow when I get it.
And Molten Ivy who just hides her light under a very big bush ( you know who you are!) Come and join us on the blog side, you know you want to.
Any way,
B doesn't hide her amazing talent and we have recently done a little buisness transaction.
I asked her to make some beads for me to braid with and she wanted a braiding disc the deal was done and we traded the balance in beads.....
I couldnt believe what I got in the deal.So the following are just yummy, I had some help with the photography can you tell.
aren't they great!
I dont want to use them though they are just two yummy, can I do them justice?
AL

sp10 goodies

Dear all,
I got a lovely package from my sp10 pal last week. I got a pack of lovely purple threads and 2 books
one on embroidered bags and one one merino knitting. They are both great. I've had a quick flick through both ( time has only allowed that) really fancy the shaped bags.
ironically jenny rolfe has just joined our local emboiderers guild so I could get the bag one signed!!
thank you, thank you thank you.
al
x

A great adventure!

Dear all,
I'm back, did you miss me?
So I didnt quite manage to use the Wifi at the hotel, too exhausted.
But I have got pickies of my great adventure.
It's the first time my wage earning job has really featured here, but the pickies are too good not to include.
Some of you will know, I'm an archivist in my other life, I gather and catalogue photographs for a large quarrying company Aggregate Industries ( go to company history if you want to see what I do ish( I'm the side kick)). We have over 400 site in the uk alone and they all have a vivid and long history, I try to document them through the photographs that are found, some dating back to the 1870s
These few days I've been helping out with an open day at one of our devon quarries. Partly as an archivist because we are in the process of writing about this quarry for a book and I also helped out with the 400 school children ( gulp) that were being shown around.
So firstly I had to get down to Devon..... I was given a pool car which I then gave back, I like my cars in working order, so they gave me this one..... I think they were trying to make a point, but if they were it totally backfired, I've had lots of fun and my boy loves it.
And just to give you a taster of the modern day archivist out in the community.... can you see why they dont let me out very often? do I look cold and wet?
I promise sp10 and beads tomorrow, off to watch eurovision song contest and sleep.

Al x

I should be so lucky!!!!!

I am I am
Now bear with me...
I have had some lovely presents in the last 24hrs.
I got 2 fab books and some lovely threads from my secret pal. more info to come
and I got some wonderful hand made glass beads from "B".
But I've also done a workshop today and I'm going down to devon for two days tomorrow for work so It's all a bit manic. I have the pickies and I just need to down load them. But as I need some sleep and I am in a hotel for 2 nights with Wifi I will try to post them tomorrow.
Thank you, Thank you Thank you. See you tomorrow down south.
al xx

country bumpkin, who me...?

Dear all,

I've been to the big city...

seriously out of my comfort zone.

But I did the tube, I even surprised myself.

I went for a seminar and had a few hours to kill,

I did try to do textiles, wool and beads... but failed

so I did Covent Garden and china town and the Royal academy of art.

The Royal academy of art had a fab exhibition on The unknown Monet.

It was great standing really fairly close to a Monet thinking wow.

I dont really do art much ( time?!?) but I can appreciate it when I do.

But the thing that really does it for me apart from textiles are buildings

I just love big buildings they really blow my minds. Somebody built these with their hands probably 200yrs ago wow al x!