Growing up

Things have been weird of late - I feel like I'm starting to come into my real self - in a very odd way. I think I've always had a strong sense of self - however it's been clouded by stress and depression and awful cliquey girls at school. I was naive in thinking that would change when I went to uni and was in for a rude awakening...

I think what I am getting at is that I am just a lot more comfortable in my skin - it's a very foreign feeling for me - but my body is not something I'm scared of anymore - I'm not scared of my thoughts or what they have the power to do to me. I'm not scared of other people or what they think of me. I guess this comes with getting older, maybe, but it catches me right off guard every time it does.

My brother called the other day and said something that knocked me for six, how maybe he wasn't as sympathetic as he could've been when I was at my worst - I think a previous version of myself would have gloated over this and kept it in my back pocket to throw back at a later date - however this time I just let it wash over me and moved on.

Age is a weird thing.

Christmas 2015

The Rules Of Blogging state that you should post your content when it is most relevant, however, I found these whilst dumping all my pictures from my memory card onto my laptop - so thought I'd share these because they make me happy.

I said it a few times last year to my friends, but as I get older, I don't really care much about Christmas - sure, it's nice to get a new perfume or a new jumper, but really I just want some time off work, lots of time with family and friends, and to be cosy and eat good food, which is basically what I did this year most recently gone.

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Quiet celebrations

Part of one of my goals for the new year, in a year where everything had been a bit mad, I lost some loved ones, and gained some - I wanted to make sure I spent time more thoughtfully in 2016.

Whilst I was raised Catholic, I'm not really religious, I can see the appeal in marking the year with specific dates and days. I seemed to blink and miss 2015, I'm not really sure where it went, it was a blur of new jobs, travels and trips and a flurry of activity. Therefore I wanted to make sure I made time to celebrate the turning of the year - I've always been interested in the idea of the wheel of the year - the equinoxes and solstices punctured by festivals throughout the year to celebrate the year. More importantly, they make me think about spending time outside, and remind me to make time to take time. 

So earlier in the year, to celebrate getting rid of the darkness, the first signs of spring, and about letting light in, I decided to light candles wherever I could, and spend a little time to celebrate the time of the year. I'm harsh on the winter, however I do forget that it's necessary - and it makes the spring all the nicer when it does arrive, with sudden showers and spring buds.

Some other dates for your diary... 

20 March - Vernal Equinox
20 June - Midsummer Solstice
22 September - Autumnal Equinox
22 December - Midwinter Solstice

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Springtime (and I feel human again)

I wasn't ever going to blog about how the last post on here was about Christmas, or the fact I've felt like a little shell of myself, the last few months but I've realised I don't care to post content that everyone else wants to see... 

It's funny how winter affects me so much; after the rush towards Christmas, I feel like I just slip further into a hole that is hard to climb back out of. It's not every year it happens, but when it does it catches me so by surprise it knocks the wind out of me - in January I kept thinking I was fighting it off, that I was getting to the gym and being sociable and doing all those things I was taught to do to keep me going, before realising I was finding no joy in them and I ground to a halt.

It's not until the first warm day of spring that I start to feel like me again. Only when the sunlight begins to feel warm again, and I roll my window down on the drive home from work, and I sit outside in my garden on the weekends to eat my lunch and it's okay, cause everything starts to feel okay again. Today felt okay, for the first time in a while. I woke up this morning after a lovely evening with a new friend, I have some things to look forward to, I feel like I'm more solid in my skin and things feel good. This afternoon I sat and watched the blue tits in the garden, did some knitting and drank my coffee with full fat milk, to feel indulgent.

So I guess I'll just sit tight until summer...

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Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Just a quick message from me, now you're off enjoying your breakfasts and presents and festivities, hopefully with all your loved ones.

Merry Christmas and have a fabulous New Year.

x

Off my needles: felted slippers

I never really understood slippers. I mean obviously the concept of them was not ungraspable, however they were just never really something I got on with until the last few years. 

I had previously made these from a kit I picked up at the Knit and Stitch Ally Pally a few years back; they were a beautiful forest green and I wore them until they were full of holes and fairly filthy, slobbing out to the car in them, spilling porridge and coffee on them whilst clumsily making my breakfast in the dark in them...

When I got a hole so badly that my big toe was poking out, I realised I needed to knit myself up a new pair, however wanted to try and find the cheapest feltable (is that a word?) wool that I could, as I knew they would last about as long as my other ones, and I wear them to death. A quick google search and Ravelry hunt told me that the Cascade 220 was 100% wool and good for felting, so I picked a couple of this colour, I think it was midnight blue or something, from their Heathers collection. It's so good that brands like Cascade and the Drops Alpaca ranges are getting more readily available over here, sometimes you want relatively priced yarn that isn't acrylic, which is pretty hard to find in the UK, I feel like.

Anyway, the pattern you can buy online, or there are similar ones all over Ravelry, but you basically knit giant floppy shapes with the yarn held double, and then you stick them in the washing machine until they felt up. They're super cosy, and great for shuffling about the house in.

I've knit them for a friend, too, who seemed to enjoy them, and they knit amazingly fast - so I would say they make good gifts. They loosen up over time, but that can easily be resolved by a quick wash, and they quickly shrink back up again. Obsessed doesn't even cut it - I'm rarely without these, these days.

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The importance of giving back

I know this probably seems like a superbly stupid post, particularly at this time of year - you probably all do small charitable things, but I think it's so easy at Christmas to get caught up in the me, me, me-ness of it all, to pour over gift-guides and get swept up in the twinkle of fairylights. This has most definitely been me, in years gone by, and I think you by no means should shun all things joyful at this time of year, but I do think everyone, myself included!, needs a gentle reminder to give something back.

I recently started working for a company that actively encourages us to do 2 days of charitable work a year, and I love that we're able to do this - I know that for some people, it's not always an option. I don't want to go into too much detail, for fear of it sounding like bragging or something similarly stupid, but through work, my team raised an amazing amount of money which was donated to a good local cause - decorating a local hospital ward for Christmas. 

I famously have a cold heart, nothing really upsets me or penetrates my emotional barriers, haha, but even I sat in the car afterwards with tears in my eyes after managing to speak to a few of the patients there. Because lets face it, no-one enjoys being hospital, really, and I'm sure even less so at Christmas - so its nice to be able to bring a bit of cheer to somewhere not very cheerful. 

When I was little, my mum often made my brothers and I help put together shoeboxes for a the Christmas Child appeal - which I used to enjoy for the rather superficial reasons of packing everything neatly into a box… And whilst religious things aren't everyone's cup of tea, there are small things you can do. Dump a bunch of change in a charity box, don't cross the street to avoid the collectors, buy some tinned soup and donate it to a local foodbank, pick up a pack of charity Christmas cards... I know not everyone is able to take a day off work to go and go all out, but there are small things you can do that can help a bit towards making a difference, and I think we all could all do with a reminder to try and help others.  

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Christmas (2016) Preparation...

I've been a bit out of the loops with blogging, recently. I'm not sure what happened, but one minute it was Halloween and I was all excited for Autumn - then I blinked and it was December 

Somewhere in between a lot happened, apparently. I escaped to the Derbyshire countryside, and even flew across to America, leaving me with seriously depleted funds (new handbag, anyone? And Sephora is a dangerous place...).
I decided, a little bit too late, that I wasn't to make gifts for people - however it is definitely my plan for next year. Hopefully by this time next year, I can be like Mina Philipp and have churned out about 40 pairs of socks in a year!

Since I got back from America, I've stormed through two pairs of socks for people for Christmas, made a huge batch of honeycomb, made two slabs of fudge for my closest friends, as always finding the time to knock out some Orange and Cardamom biscuits for the family.

I think throughout next year, I really want to put the emphasis on making more things for people. I've been discussing it over the last few weeks with people, to test the waters, because theres always that worry (of mine) that people will think I'm being cheap or something. Turns out no, the general consensus is that my friends think hand-made gifts are sweet and thoughtful (which is what I was aiming for...) and also, it makes me think hard about who the people are I'm making things for, because I always go a bit mad and overboard at this time of year.
So, if you're my friend, you're probably getting handknit socks sometime between now and Christmas 2016... Please subtly drop into conversation your foot size.

Also, please excuse the extreme close-up (don't judge my knitting too closely!) - as these are a gift for someone for Christmas, who may or may not read my blog, I'm not sure! I'm obsessed with the 'eye of the partridge' heel that I picked up in the Hermione's Every Day Sock pattern - and have knit it on every pair of socks recently. I think it's 100% more beautiful than the slip stitch heel I usually favour! 

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A walk well spent brings a week of content...

My dad is a walker. Not a fair-weather stroller, a rambler nor a hiker - a walker. Most weekends, he puts on his walking shoes and disappears for a few hours - generally spending his time traversing the South Downs. Luckily, we live just over an hours drive away from some of the most gorgeous, dare I say it, quintessentially English, countryside. Think rolling green hills leading down to the glittering English Channel. On an early Autumn day, theres few places better to be than being swept backwards with the wind, cheeks rosy and an amazing view to reward you for a steep walk. 

The last time we did this - a walk through Savernake forest or a drizzly September day - seemed far too long ago, so on one of the last days of the summer, my father and I set off to Alfriston for a walk. My dad does this most weekends between May and September, when the whether is fair and bright, not too hot and not too chilly; often being joined by my brothers. And until recently, I genuinely was not fit enough. In the past few years, I've lost a huge amount of weight, and grown immensely fitter in the process - however the kind of fitness you need to be able to walk up a 16% (in places!) incline is a very different one to the one that I've become in the gym.

As I said, my dad doesn't really consider it a 'walk' if its below 5 miles, and there isn't at least one hill to climb. So you have to come prepared, basically. It's really nice to have this time together - this walk was only a few weekends after my Grandmother passed away - and it was quite nice to just spend a few hours doing something that he enjoys. I'm going to make a definite point to do more of it when the weather picks up again, next year.

I also think that Alfriston is the most beautiful little village - the house pictured here is so beautiful - it reminds me of the little villages around Farnham, where I went to Uni that are really sweet, and probably cost two of my house put together. A girl can dream.. It also had the most gorgeous village green where we sat and munched sandwiches and drank cans of Fanta, watching whilst a family ate cream tea and scones with Champagne on deckchairs. How very British... 

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New Yarn Joy

I don't really have much to offer in terms of stunning insights (not that you're really reading my blog for those) or knitting tips, or tricks or anything of the sort - I just thought I would share you with some pretty pictures of some new yarn: Rico Design Superba Poems in Tropical. I picked this up in Wool in Bath when I was there - it's now a lovely pair of long and cosy socks, but I really loved these pictures I took when it was all wound up.

The weird thing is, I'm really a truth goth at heart, never growing out of my pre-teen emo days, the majority of my clothes are monochrome, with odd splashes of navy, brown or oxblood creeping in - however when it comes to socks, I go mad, and just want anything fluorescent, multicoloured, pastel and bright.

Anyway, I'll show you the socks I made soon enough, but I've really been lusting after all kinds of new yarns since I put myself on a self imposed yarn ban, which I might save a discussion around for another post, however it just means I've been pinning all kinds of lovely yarn... Look at that beautiful brown and blue-grey one below: be still my heart.

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It's almost Halloween....

Part of me really loves Halloween, I think because as a kid my mum always used to make all kinds of treats and decorations for us, as trick or treating was never really a thing where we grew up. I do quite enjoy it still, even if I don't really dress up or 

I did, however, win a half-day at work today by winning at a Halloween themed quiz - I think it's mainly to do with my love of Witches...

A few years ago, I shared a trilogy of posts regarding my favourite Halloween posts, and thought I'd re-link these here incase any is looking for some festive film inspiration last minute..

Part one: Witch edition

Part two: the cheesy feel-good Halloween films edition 

Part three: the actual Scary movies, may or may not come with a warning!

What are you up to this Halloween? 

I hope you have a fun and safe one whatever the case!

I'm on a definite mission to carve a pumpkin later today...

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(Images taken from Pinterest, photo credits where possible are provided on Pinterest.)

Off my needles: the super late Lopi sweater

I want to talk more about my knitting projects that I've completed, as I love to talk about my knitting, and thought it might be a good idea to show you a recent project I finished...

This was a Christmas gift for my brother. I've realised I don't really like knitting big things for other people, as I'm pretty much selfish in my knitting desires.. I just like to knit things that I can wear! And even though I'm modelling this in the picture, this was actually for my brother, although I have sneaking suspicions that his partner will end up wearing it more than him!

The yarn was Drops Andes, a really lovely, soft and chunky yarn with some alapca in (35%, the rest is wool) which comes in 100g balls which I think are about £3 each? It makes a very affordable sweater, as that is generally the problem I find when making sweaters - a nice yarn is too expensive to knit a whole sweater in...

The pattern is one that I've made previously for myself, from Ístex Álafoss Lopi No. 12 (patterns 19/20). I have all the details over on my Ravelry of exact colours and what have you, even a picture of my brother modelling this, but I didn't think he'd want that on my blog... It's a really nice sweater, proper winter weather sweater, I kind of wish I didn't have to give away in the end!

And whilst my dad was taking these photos for me, he managed to get one mid-wind, with me squinting at him, and he thought I looked like something from a Scandinavian crime drama... So here you go, haha.

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Getting organised: a Diary

If 2014 was the year I organised my health, 2015 was the year I organised my life. Well, that was the plan, anyway. I feel like a lot has happened this year, and nothing at the same time, and it's all gone so quickly (I can't believe we're at the end of October already?!).

My good friend Gemma will tell you just how horribly organised I am. Well, most of my friends probably will - but I think Gemma gets the brunt of it most of the time! haha. I've just got a memory like a sieve, an aversion to writing things down, and my head in the clouds most of the time. I can be reminded 10 times and still forget things.

So it's a bit of a surprise that I've actually managed to keep this thing updated most weeks? It's also a nice record of just how much I've done this year - which I guess is why people like those Erin Condren planners, etc. I got this diary just in the new year from a website similar to Sticker Stack. 

Anyway, I really have no tips, but I think these new kids of diaries or planners, have done a trick on me - you fill in the dates and months yourself, so if you miss a week, it doesn't really matter in a way? I don't fill in the weeks too far ahead, as I can't really think more than a week in advance. The other thing I've found really useful, is to jazz it up a bit. The pages have fluorescent orange highlights, which I think are great paired with coloured pens and black text. I've also taken to adding the odd bit of washi tape that I had lying around, to block out weekends or highlight evenings. 

I've also tried to make it more than just an event tracker, of work shifts and days out - and use it to track some goals. I've kept a few lists at the back with my 2015 goals for the year, and the books that I've read in the months (as I'm trying to read more this year) - it's also useful for tracking what gym classes I go to and how often I manage to get down to the gym when I'm trying to get back into my fitness. 

Maybe these tips aren't useful to anyone, and maybe I'm just growing up, but I thought I would share them just incase.. :) 

Are you any good at keeping a diary or are you just as hopeless at me?

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weekend wanderings #75

(images from Uncia and Tigris, thesaltyseablog.blogspot.co.uk and slugsontherefrigerator.com)

• This week I shared with you a recent favourite fragrance: Jo Malone Earl Grey and Cucumber cologne and also shared what I'm currently knitting.
• Sarah wrote a letter to September, but it looks more like summer in these pictures! 
• It might be too late in the year for lemonades, but the way this year has sped through, I'll be wanting to make these lemonade recipes before I know it... 
• And a long overdue congratulations to Rosie; her wedding photos are absolutely gorgeous!
• October is the month for flavoured coffees, gradually warming us into the dark winter months, so here's a recipe for a gingerbread latte and a pumpkin spice syrup to put into your coffees! 
• As ever, my head is in another country, so heres 5 days in Copenhagen and 2 days in Rome. 
• Some sweet pictures of the beginning of autumn over at Slugs on the Refrigerator.
• I just thought these fish illustrations were really cute.. 
• Ancient woodland is rare these days, but it does feel very special when you find it. 
• Isn't this an amazing idea for redesigning a plug? So simple but such a good idea.
• A brilliant neon hat pattern from Purl Soho - everything they do is amazing. 
• I've got my first long flight coming up next month so these tips on dealing with a fear of flying is a good read for me! 
• Kate's trip around Sweden looks beautiful, I really want to visit soon, along with Charlotte's visit to the Golden Circle in Iceland.
• I want all of Cat's home whenever I see it, her bedroom included. And maybe her kitty. 
• Whilst this boozy Irish wedding cake sounds and looks incredible, I don't know how anyone can make their wedding cake; the pressure!
• This kitchen is literal perfection: those green tiles are everything I need in life. 
• Richmond Park is not that far from me, and I keep seeing photos of all the lovely deer there - I really should make an effort to visit at some point 
• Blackberry peach cobbler with buttermilk whipped cream: you're welcome. :) 
• I've followed Jacquina on Twitter for ages but never realised she had a blog; her tastes are so similar to mine, her candle is my favourite and I munch those little crackers from Aldi like theres no tomorrow!
• I've got such a sweet tooth and keep buying the little Pots & Co salted caramel ones and I've ended up with way too many of the ramekins, so maybe I can make some of Lizzie's salted caramel dessert to go in them.
• Rosie's Parisian adventures look so perfect and so pretty, I really want to visit again.

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What's on my needles...

I love these kind of posts - probably because I'm thoroughly nosey, and I love to find new patterns, new yarns, and see how quickly people can put something together....

I took these photos mid-august, so a little while ago now, and I've progressed pretty well since then - you can see the pattern a bit better over on the project page, but I just really liked these pictures so thought I would show you them anyway.

I bought this big pack of linen yarn to make a sweater - but it really wasn't happening. I tried several patterns several times and it really just didn't turn out. So I threw in the towel, and came up with a new plan: a blanket. I've wanted to knit one for some time; however the idea of making one from a lightweight yarn filled me with dread, and the thought of buying a lot of bulky yarn made my wallet shiver in fear. 

I've decided that I'll put together 3 panels of this Sunshine Chevron Blanket, with garter stitch edging, as I've got enough of the yarn to do this. The more I knit with it, the softer the yarn gets, and it's such an easy thing to whip up. I'm about 2/3 of the way through my first panel, and it's pretty enjoyable to knit (at the moment... I'm keeping other project around too, to keep me motivated!). I love the natural colour of this yarn, so I'm hoping that it'll be a great throw for a sofa or a bed when it's all finished...

Are you making anything at the moment?

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jo malone earl grey and cucumber review

This Jo Malone fragrance was a little birthday gift to myself. Whenever I pass by a store or a concession, I'm drawn in by all identical bottles with their unassuming labels hiding a multitude of scents...

After spending some time perusing the scents in the Selfridges beauty hall (which is like a black hole of money as it is) - I eventually settled on this little one: Earl Grey and Cucumber Cologne. Normally I would go for something more spicy, less fresh, and those are the scents that I go for these days, however at the time, it was a warm summer day in London, a bottle of my ultimate favourite fragrance, Blenheim Bouquet was on it's way out...

And so I was taken in by this crisp, fresh scent. Supposedly it's akin to Earl Grey tea, with notes of cucumber and bergamot, with a base of beeswax and musk; but it's generally just a delightful fragrance, perfect in the spring and the summer, but lasting just as well into the autumn, splashed liberally over the neck and wrists on the way out of the door; it's one of those scents that I can't get enough of, and you could never wear too much.

Do you have any Jo Malone fragrances - what would you recommend? 

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weekend wanderings #74

(images from Uncia and Tigris and conversationpieces.co.uk)

• Some recent posts of mine you may have missed - How to gets a better night's sleep and some recent gold and black trinkets.
• I really love these Sunday in Verse posts from Beth, particularly this one from August. 
• I've been catching up on all my blogs recently, and I love this weekend in North Devon from Lizzie, particularly as we used to visit that bit of Devon regularly as kids! 
• I'm a longstanding lover of Jane's travel posts, these shots from LA are just lovely, I always think of LA being a bit bleak, but these shots make it seem welcoming. 
• Who doesn't want to be able to make homemade bourbon biscuits?!
• Zoe's pictures of her cats upstaging her flat-tour are just too adorable... 
• I haven't got around to showing you my pictures from my Peak District adventure yet - but next year I really want to visit the Yorkshire Dales - Kelly makes it look stunning! 
• A really useful, comprehensive post about getting gauge when knitting!
• Some simple mantras to success - I need to write these on my arm or something. 
• A healthier alternative to a crumble topping for the winter months; I like to put some oats in when I make crumble anyway, but this forgoes the flour and butter altogether... 
• A very stylish, printable blog planner - if only I was that organised.. 
• How to clean your digital room, so to speak! 
• Peanut butter anything and I'm there - I'd also like this view... 
• I saw some of the amazing heather in bloom when I visited Derbyshire - however I didn't manage to get any good photos, however Anya's will have to do, and that's okay because they're beautiful... 
• I've become obsessed with knitted blankets: I want to make this colourblock bias blanket; these colours are perfection. 
• The inspiration behind Kate Davies' Scottish inspired yarns is so lovely.
• It's rare I crave new makeup products: but I reallly want to try this Bobbi Brown face palette. 
• This cabin-break with family that Freya recently shared looks so idyllic, those sunsets on the lake are something else.
• I'll take several of these brown butter nectarine tarts, yes please.
• I have a heart of stone, but this post from Alex talking about her partner just about warmed it. 
• Please can I have a sweet little craft room with all my yarn laid out in their hues like in a shop? No? Oh, okay...
• The Skovtur mitten pattern by Karie would make perfect Christmas presents for people: knit in a worsted weight yarn, they'd knit up super quickly, too.

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new in: black and gold bees

It's definitely a re-occuring theme of mine, rediscovering gold-hues. For years I opted for silver above all else - before I realised it was just shiny things that I enjoyed, and the colour was really irrelevant (although, I'm not fully convinced by rose gold, if I'm honest).

I saw this beautiful little note-pad in Marks in Spencers recently as I'm weirdly obsessed with anything bee-related (my mother and I are currently designed a bee-themed quilt), and into the trolley it went. Whilst we're on the subject, I really love Marks and Spencers. No, this isn't sponsored, but I know they're trying desperately hard to shake off the mumsy vibe, and I think they're succeeding. They do amazing coats, their beauty selection is pretty great too, and they're probably the only place that I can get jeans or trousers to fit my five-foot-ten legs and not leave me with a foot of ankle hanging out, or my bum crack on show to the world.

Anyway, I'd say I'm digressing but I don't really have much else to say, except I found this notepad absolutely adorable. I particularly like the little gold foil hexagons adorning the pages, and it's gold clip. I guess technically it's a shopping list type deal, but I'm using it for to-do lists and reminders at the moment, and it's the perfect matching hue as my watch and ring. When I searched for this to show you guys, I also found this lovely little 2016 diary...

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the royal landscape: the saville garden

These photos seem a world away now after the few weeks of bad weather we've had here - it fully feels like autumn here... I took these photos on one of my first outings a few weeks after healing up from my operation, my mum and I took a short walk around the lovely flowered gardens and a leisurely pace, and taking lunch in the cafe afterwards. Of course, I took a few snaps...

Since I last visited, they planted up a beautiful selection of wild-flowers, which had the most stunning cornflowers (which I've decided are one of my absolute favourite flowers, they grew like a weed all over the allotment and I used to pick them in copious amounts and bring them home to sit on the windowsill in little jam jars)... I've decided that if I ever were to have a garden of my own, I would plant only wildflowers as they attract a swarm of bees and their colour makes me so happy. 

They had quite a few of the late summer flowers in bloom when we went along - with a lot of hydrangea's (which could be a close contender for my favourite flower - particularly in this beautiful blue hue). The Saville Garden is part of the The Royal Landscape (which I've posted about many times) as it's a place filled with so many memories for me and  love spending time there - particularly of wandering around collecting fallen hydrangeas and rhododendrons as a child and bringing them home to press between books... 

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