Back.

Tentatively. Still functioning at about 50%.
But things are OK, and crafty goodness has sort of been happening, in fits and starts.

If confirmation were needed that I am not in a normal state of mind - I decided to knit this Precious in time for Knit Camp. Twit. Fekwit. Black Kidsilk, on small needles, with 1,000 black beads, mainly to be knit on an evening. Fekwit of the first order.

The first front is almost finished, I was aiming to do it tonight but things got in the way, so should finish this and start a sleeve tomorrow - sloooooow going, and possibly the most fiddly thing I have knit but I do like it so far ...

I had a really good walk around the full outdoor market the other day, instead of the usual mad dash - and really enjoyed it. Leeds has a great market - brilliant for unusual foods - but it is falling into disrepair and in danger of shutting in a few years as more and more stalls close. But the outside market was pretty busy this week, possibly helped by the lovely weather.

I picked up these - the ribbon s have 60metres per roll, the embroidery thread (which is a gorgeous deep cerise pink) has 5,000metres - and they cost me a fiver! I also found some really nice black material, to make this:

(thank you for the heads up about cheap patterns Marianne (I can't get the blog linky thing to work). It has been posted (from America) and I hope to get it finished in time - you guessed it - for Knit Camp. We will see.

And very late, Ten on Tuesday, which I thought I would join to keep me bloggymotivated - it is now Ten on Thursday, but better late than never.

So - Ten Ways to Celebrate Summer!

1) eat ice cream - it is a law. Ideally proper ice cream, swirled in a cone from the ice cream man. Dribbling down your chin,

2) walk barefoot on some grass - ideally dog poo free - I really really miss having a lawn

3) make a daisy chain and wear it with pride until it wilts - and then continue to wear it

4) sit outside and read, be it on a lovely garden bench, on the step, in a park, on the steps of a museum - just get some air, and read

5) swim! be safe, if you swim outside, but get a swim, its good for the soul

erm - unless you are this cat.

6) paint your toe nails a really fab colour! Mine are electric blue most of the time, and are currently VERY metallic blue - I love them!

7) paddle. Get to the sea if at all possible, sit for a while and watch the waves, and get in there, roll your trousers up, tuck your skirt into your knickers and get those tootsies wet - paddle, jump in the waves and be 5 again

8) grow something to eat, even if it's a few leaves of lettuce in a pot or a window container, or tomatoes inside - anything, just for the pleasure of saying 'I grew this!'

9) enjoy it - summer doesn't last long over here, and every warm day is precious. Soak it up, and enjoy,

10) wear flowers in your hair - great big flowers, clip them, tie them, headbands, anything. Get some flowers in your hair and feel the love.