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!

ROAARRRRR!

"Roar Roar Roar"
is the sound that has been echoing around our house this week...
I got a fab ecard from my knittertreater who asked me to acknowledge the e-card.
got it!!
and she's sent a postcard ( not got yet)
and she's sent my parcel sea mail cos it was heavy.....wow how exciting
cant wait.
my secret pal got her first package and loved it hooorrrraaah, but It did have to go through quarantine... apparently I passed. very funny.
al x

hooray for freeform crochet

Dear all,
Taking a little break from Braiding to do some crochet.
I cant show what I've done until my secret pal gets her prezzies.
But until then The freeform crochet group I am part of has got an online exhibition, go and have a look there is some beautiful bits ( what is the collective term for alot of freeform crochet?) possibly a scrumble. well go and look at the scrumbles....
I'm also getting the itch to dye some more yarn.... it's pickies like this that do it

al x

A felted commision

Dear all,
You know how I always stay safe and use nice plain colours, well this is a prime example.
I love felting, just have trouble fitting it in with all he other stuff I love. I like having an end point so with this in mind the item below was created.
I have been commissioned by aunty big em to make her a felted camera case.
The problem with commissions is you never know if they are going to like it until they see it.
So aunty big em, this is the first try, if you dont like the colours I can do a bluey one or a more pinky one. I got a little carried away with the colours. I will not be insulted if you dont want this one cos I can do lots with it if it's not your scene.
one side is swirly and one is spotty
I had fun with it can you tell.
lots of love al x

A mixed groove

Dear all,
Just sitting back chillin......
Sorry? was that me?
Yup just sitting back and chilling, bloggin catchin a tune...
I've got a bag of summer fruit thornton chocs ( bought for me by my yummy boy)
a mug of hot water...... well i like it,
and Ray Lamontague in concert on the telly, he's definitely my singer of the moment, I cant get enough of his music, and there he is on the telly whilst i'm baby sitting, perfick.
so This weekend is a music weekend, ray tonight and tmorrow si and I and my mum and dad are going to see Kate Rusby, a very cool folk singer. I've worked out the last concert I went to I was 8 week pregnant with adam, that must be almost 6 yrs...... very excited.
On a textiley front, I went to the living threads textile exhibition today, there was some beautiful things there, and this amazing lady doing felting called Julie turner.
I'd met her before at a workshop. It was nice to meet her again, I was so close to buying one of her beautiful felted bags.
I've also been thinking about the new crochet magazine thats come out in america Interweave crochet, linked to the interweave knit magazine that has a good reputation in the USA. It looks interesting.
anyway enough for tonight.
off to feel the groove
al x

can you tell what it is yet?

SO many pictures so little time.....
This is a picture heavy post
This is the most exciting, look what my fabulous hubby bought for me for easter!!!
aaaahhhhhhhhhh so very exciting a whole meter of Amy Butler fabric!!!!!
he's just laughed at me cos I only got it in the post an hour ago and have already posted about it!!! that exciting!! ( !!!)
Then one of my favorite flowers of spring a magnolia. taken last week.
Then my daft cat Moscow pretending to be the dormouse from Alice in wonderland, he got in of his own accord I promise.
Then a drawing of an elephant on our terrace by my boy
and finally my husbands birthday cake!! do you think I used too much cream in the four tiers!! In my defence it was a wholemeal sponge, so it had some healthy elements, sprinkles by my fab children, he didnt seem to mind them being pink. Do you think we are on holiday? ( back to work tmrw,buurrgghh)
Lots of yarny love
al x

sooo very lucky

Dear all,
Happy easter for all who do easter in a religious or chocolately way.
I'm still here doing holiday.
I got a fab package from my secret pal on monday, I'm sorry for the delay in posting pickies secret pal, It's a holiday thing.
But needless to say I have looked at them every day and shown them to lots of people this week.
There was lots of lovely stuff, I got some debbi bliss soho and a texere yarn silk pack. I got a beautiful john lewis note pad, which is far to good for my messy ramblings. The kids, hubby and I all got chocolate and I got lots of lovely smellies.
still thinking what to do with the wool. I might have to crochet something from my happy hooker book.I'm not used to having so much wool for a project so It's very exciting.
I'm very lucky. Thank you very much. ( oooh to many verys)
I'm off to wrestle a giant chocolate rabbit off Emi.....
al x

Holiday yey!!

Dear All, Welcome to the goodkharmabunny on holiday.
We've all broken up for a weeks holiday, the boys have two weeks.
Last week didnt improve with hubby going to the speech therapist, which was fine, except he isnt allowed to say a word until tuesday, like complete silence.........
And I had to go back for another MRI on friday, cos they missed a bit, or the other excuse was that they changed their minds what they wanted.
but that is all behind us now, we have finally hit holiday, and it started well.
Mum and i went to an exhibition at the NEC yesterday called "sewing for pleasure"
SO we spent the day there and spent alot..... ( pickies later) but I couldnt find find any Amy Butler fabric anywhere, in fact no one had heard of her.........
Then we came home and mum and dad whilst the quiet one and i went out for supper, then this morning mum cooked us all a full english breakfast... wow what a 24hrs.
I'm only slightly bleary this morning.
On a different note thank you everyone for your wonderful comments about the website, I'm soo glad you like it.
the only problem is that most of my hits have been via my blog and I've now done another post, so my blatant website promotion is below, however there is a link to the good kharma bunny website on the right hand side!!!!!--------->------------->------------>
more later... off to suggest a pub visit to hubby.
al x

The Good Kharma Bunny web site!!

It's official The Good Kharma Bunny Website is live!
Surprise!!
It's all very exciting
let me know what you think
al xx

shhh it's a secret!!

Something very exciting is going to happen this week,
I'll tell you later,
it's very exciting!
mean while I thought i would throw in a few photos to distract you.
(emi will hate me for this )
al x

knitting treat

Dear all,
We have received our Secretpals 10s, it's all going well, Hi to floozy who is treating me, she seems to be as mad as me, cool. And I cant tell you who I'm treating... but I'm going to sew for pleasure next week to buy lots of yummy things for her.
as a side thought...
I have succumbed... part of this is all your fault , some of you said I deserved a treat after this week so I did kinda, I'm treating someone else.
I have signed up for another knitting exchange.
The knitters treat exchange
Looks like it's going to be fun. This one is a one off exchange, not spread over three months like secret pal, and is a little smaller.
So here are my answers to the all important questions
1) My favorite yarn? Banana yarn/ aran weight silk, noro (any)
2) My least favorite? Lace weight yarn scares me, actually anything thinner than four ply.
3) The first thing I do when I enter a new yarn shop? take a deep breath and look at the prices of the luxury yarns, silk/ noro/louisa harding then go and find something I can afford . then I look for all the yarns I don't recognise and decide which to treat myself with. To demonstrate...I recently went into a new yarn shop and bought 3 balls of rowan cotton denim, and two impulsive louisa harding grace- silk wool.
4) What other crafts do I do/ would like to do? I braid and felt, I would like more time to do all the things I already do.
5) What magazines do I subscribe to? Yarn forward, I buy simply knitting quite often, and my mum and I share her subsciption to Selvedge.
6)Magazines in order of preference; Crochet,Knitting, Home, other Craft, Food, Garden, fashion, celebrity gossip.
7) What items do I like to knit/ crochet? accessories, easy quick stuff
8)Am I allergic to anything? ironing! apart from that no
9) What do I like to smell of? lemon, and lavender, I also got bought the new Stella Mcartney block perfume for mothers day so I smell of that at the moment
10) Your favorite way to relax? a long hot bath or crafting in front of the telly, or sleep, it's friday I have few need in life other than sleep.
11)Your stood outside a victorian tea shop, a italian cafe, an old fashioned bakery, a dainty tea room, which do you go into first? the italian cafe, I'm sure I was an italian mama in a former life
12)what do you come out with? after I've had a large italian hot chocolate and a italian pastry, probably indigestion, or some italian chocolate
13)where to next? the bakery to buy cream cakes, for afternoon tea at home, after I have found a yarn shop!!
14)Words of wisdom for your pal? dear pal I have had a bad week this week, bear with me, I may try to answer these again next week, my mantra is it will all be fine. apparently I say it alot.
or always carry a toothbrush and toothpaste in your bag at all times
or never tell a polar bear he looks fat
or yey it's friday
please ask any more questions, but i cant guarantee how sane the answers will be!
al x

Still alive, or medical ramblings

Dear all,
Thank you for everyone's concern, the MRI went fine yesterday. I dont get my results until the end of July, unless they find anything yucky. I think this is unlikely. Not overly worried, just want rid of my headaches.
Musings on the MRI;
So you take everything off that has metal in it, no jewellry, belts etc...you feel so bare
and then they say quietly " you'll have to take your bra off" you find yourself saying thats fine and then spend ten minutes thinking uplifting thoughts. Thank goodness you have to lie down for a MRI.
I knew it wasnt going to pleasant, but being the mother of 2 ( Csections and epidurals) I thought I could probably handle it as no pain was involved.......
So they place headphones on you and a big plastic frame over your head and wheel you into the big plastic polo. Words cannot explain how loud it is even with headphones on.
But lying down for 40 minutes was great.
The frame has a mirror in it so you can watch them doing your scans, and your feet. so not as claustrophobic as it could have been. Although watching the man who did the injection pick his nose for ten minutes was the low point of the scan. And he had no sense of humour, they inject a dye to see the veins, and I trying to keep calm and well humoured asked if he was going to make me glow in the dark... he didn't even smirk..
Whilst in there you do find your mind wandering. So I will share a little wandering.
The best analogue of what the MRI sounds like will really make sense to terry pratchett fans...
all I could think of was these little elves with big hammers running around banging loudly.
The other thought was the filling tomorrow is going to hurt more than this!!
and it did! although my dentist is the best ever and you hardly feel a thing.
So to conclude the week from hell is over!!!!!!!!
hoorah.
No more medical ramblings for ages I promise.
Thank you again for all you concern.
al x

so much to tell and alot of crochet!

Dear all,
I have so much to tell and I had no pickies to illustrate, so had to go and take them. so a quick post has taken me 1 1/2 hrs argh.
I shall not give excuses for lack of posting, well maybe a little bit;
my hubby is off with no voice! ( he's a teacher)
my number 2 support has been to new zealand for 2 weeks, my mil has just flown out to st lucia...
it's all go...
SO recently
1) I have been on a Alysn Midgelow Marsden (who runs the beetroot tree, and wrote this book), workshop on angelina fibre, very exciting... still work in progress
2) bought three tunisian crochet hooks off ebay, a 4mm, 8mm and a very beautifull 20mm wooden one ( the yarn is for scale)

3a) went to blackberry yarns in mountsorrel and didnt buy anything!
3b) went to the yarn shop in Beeston, with mac's niece, you have never seen so much yarn in one place, ooohhh and spent a bit! bought Rowan cotton jeans and some Louisa Harding Grace silk wool. pure impulse buys!!
4) crocheted a scarf!! from the happy hooker book, using the gotland hand spun that I got for sp9

5) crocheted a head band!! to restrain the hair that is getting longer
6) been on a crochet workshop and learnt that I can crochet, yey! this is my crochet stitch template
!
7) realised how much I am in denial about the advanced kumihimo workshop I'm running in May, luckily I did realise it with 9 weeks to go!
8) featured twice in the braid society newsletter, yey!

Also this next week I have a week from hell, you know those week when you know it's not going to be pretty!
we have
monday My car booked in to fix the washers, I just realised I didn't tell you ( or did I) I HAVE A NEW CAR ( pickies when it's day time)
tuesday Bupa appointment for hubby's voice!
wednesday work!
thursday, brain scan for me yey! just to see if I have a brain from the excess yarn thing ( or to get rid of my headaches)
friday a big filling for me!!!!!
But it's ok mum get back tomorrow!! phew, does she know whats she's coming back to... ( no!)

more soon
al x

Happy Mothers day!!

To all you mums out there
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!
You do a wonderful job,
from supporting us young mums to bringing up those young kids.
We do a great job and long may it continue.
Lots of love
me x